Broadcast receiving apparatus

ABSTRACT

In a broadcast receiving apparatus including: a broadcast receiving unit configured to receive control information regarding contents of digital broadcasting and content protection for the contents; an accumulation unit configured to accumulate the contents received by the broadcast receiving unit; a video output unit configured to output video of the contents received by the broadcast receiving unit or video of the contents accumulated by the accumulation unit to external equipment; an interface; and a control unit, switching of content protecting processes are executed in accordance with the number of pixels of video of contents in a first video outputting process state to output contents to external equipment without accumulation, a second video outputting process state to output contents to external equipment after an accumulating process, a copying process state, and a moving process state, and control is executed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a broadcast receiving apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

One of extended functions of the digital broadcasting service is databroadcasting in which digital data is transmitted by broadcast waves todisplay various types of information such as weather forecasts, news,and recommended TV programs. Many types of television receivers capableof receiving data broadcasting have already been on the market, and alot of techniques for receiving data broadcasting including thetechnique disclosed in Patent Document 1 listed below have been releasedto the public.

RELATED ART DOCUMENTS Patent Documents

-   Patent document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application    Publication No. 2001-186486

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

In association with the recent changes in the content distributionenvironment, various functional extensions have been demanded for thetelevision receivers. In particular, there are a lot of demands for thedistribution of contents and cooperated applications using a broadbandnetwork environment such as the Internet and demands for the videocontents with higher resolution and higher definition. However, nomatter how the data broadcasting receiving function that the currenttelevision receiver has is utilized or extended, it is difficult toprovide a high-value added television receiver capable of satisfying theabove-mentioned demands.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a broadcastreceiving apparatus capable of executing a function with a higher addedvalue and a portable information terminal that can cooperate with thebroadcast receiving apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problem

Techniques described in claims are used as means for solving the problemdescribed above.

One example is a broadcast receiving apparatus including: a broadcastreceiving unit configured to receive control information regardingcontents of digital broadcasting and content protection for thecontents; an accumulation unit configured to accumulate the contentsreceived by the broadcast receiving unit; a video output unit configuredto output video of the contents received by the broadcast receiving unitor video of the contents accumulated by the accumulation unit toexternal equipment; an interface configured to copy or move, to theexternal equipment, the contents that have been accumulated by theaccumulation unit; and a control unit, wherein control states of theaccumulation unit, the video output unit, and the interface by thecontrol unit include: a first video outputting process state in whichthe accumulation unit does not accumulate the contents and the contentsare outputted from the video output unit to the external equipment; anaccumulating process state in which the accumulation unit accumulatesthe contents; a second video outputting process state in which thecontents are outputted from the video output unit to the externalequipment after an accumulating process for the contents by theaccumulation unit; a copying process state in which the contents arecopied to the external equipment via the interface after theaccumulating process for the contents by the accumulation unit; and amoving process state in which the contents are moved to the externalequipment via the interface after the accumulating process for thecontents by the accumulation unit, wherein the control unit is allowedto control content protecting processes on a basis of controlinformation regarding the content protection, and wherein the controlunit is configured to execute switching of the content protectingprocesses in accordance with a number of pixels of the video of thecontents in any of the first video outputting process state, the secondvideo outputting process state, the copying process state, or the movingprocess state, and the control unit is configured not to execute theswitching of the content protecting processes in accordance with thenumber of pixels of the video of the contents in the accumulatingprocess state.

Effects of the Invention

By utilizing a technique of the present invention, it is possible toprovide a broadcast receiving apparatus capable of executing a functionwith a higher added value.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a broadcast communication systemincluding a broadcast receiving apparatus according to a firstembodiment;

FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram of a component of a coded signal in anMMT;

FIG. 2B is a configuration diagram of an MPU in MMT;

FIG. 2C is a configuration diagram of an MMTP packet in the MMT;

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a protocol stack for a broadcastingsystem using the MMT;

FIG. 4 is a layered configuration diagram of control information used ina broadcasting system;

FIG. 5A is a list of tables used for TLV-SI of the broadcasting system;

FIG. 5B is a list of descriptors used for TLV-SI of the broadcastingsystem;

FIG. 6A is a list of messages used for MMT-SI of the broadcastingsystem;

FIG. 6B is a list of tables used for MMT-SI of the broadcasting system;

FIG. 6C is a list (1) of descriptors used for MMT-SI of the broadcastingsystem;

FIG. 6D is a list (2) of descriptors used for MMT-SI of the broadcastingsystem;

FIG. 6E is a list (3) of descriptors used for MMT-SI of the broadcastingsystem;

FIG. 7A is a diagram showing a relation between components andrespective tables in the broadcasting system;

FIG. 7B is a diagram showing a data structure of an MPT in thebroadcasting system;

FIG. 7C is a diagram showing a data structure of location information inthe broadcasting system;

FIG. 7D is a diagram showing a data structure of an MPU timestampdescriptor in the broadcasting system;

FIG. 7E is a diagram showing a data structure of an MH-EIT in thebroadcasting system;

FIG. 7F is a diagram showing a data structure of an event packagedescriptor in the broadcasting system;

FIG. 8A is a block diagram of the broadcast receiving apparatusaccording to the first embodiment;

FIG. 8B is a configuration diagram of a logical plane structure of apresentation function of the broadcast receiving apparatus according tothe first embodiment;

FIG. 8C is a software configuration diagram of the broadcast receivingapparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a broadcast station server according to thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a service provider server according to thefirst embodiment;

FIG. 11A is a block diagram of a portable information terminal accordingto the first embodiment;

FIG. 11B is a software configuration diagram of the portable informationterminal according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 12A is a system configuration diagram of clocksynchronization/presentation synchronization in the broadcast receivingapparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 12B is a diagram showing a data structure of an NTP format of thebroadcasting system;

FIG. 12C is a diagram showing a data structure of an MH-TOT of thebroadcasting system;

FIG. 12D is a diagram showing a format of a JST_time parameter of thebroadcasting system;

FIG. 12E is a diagram showing a data structure of time information in aTMCC extension information region of the broadcasting system;

FIG. 12F is a diagram showing a method of calculating the current datefrom MJD of the broadcast receiving apparatus according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 13A is an operation sequence diagram at the time of channelscanning of the broadcast receiving apparatus according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 13B is a diagram showing a data structure of a TLV-NIT of thebroadcasting system;

FIG. 13C is a diagram showing a data structure of a satellite deliverysystem descriptor of the broadcasting system;

FIG. 13D is a diagram showing a data structure of a service listdescriptor of the broadcasting system;

FIG. 13E is a diagram showing a data structure of an AMT of thebroadcasting system;

FIG. 14A is an operation sequence diagram at the time of channelselection of the broadcast receiving apparatus according to the firstembodiment;

FIG. 14B is a configuration diagram for explaining reference of the MPTin each of packages by a PLT of the broadcasting system;

FIG. 14C is a diagram showing a data structure of a PLT of thebroadcasting system;

FIG. 15A is an appearance diagram of a remote controller by which thebroadcast receiving apparatus according to the first embodiment can becontrolled;

FIG. 15B is a diagram showing a data structure of a remote control keydescriptor of the broadcasting system;

FIG. 16A is an explanatory diagram of a program selecting process of amulti programming channel;

FIG. 16B is an explanatory diagram of an angle selecting process for amultiview compliant program;

FIG. 17A is a diagram showing a data structure of an LCT of thebroadcasting system;

FIG. 17B is a diagram showing a data structure of an MPU presentationregion specifying descriptor of the broadcasting system;

FIG. 17C is a diagram showing layout assignment to a layout number basedon the LCT;

FIG. 17D is a diagram showing layout assignment to a layout number basedon the LCT;

FIG. 17E is a diagram showing layout assignment to a layout number basedon the LCT;

FIG. 17F is a diagram showing layout assignment to a layout number basedon the LCT;

FIG. 18A is an explanatory diagram of an exceptional process of screenlayout control based on the LCT;

FIG. 18B is an explanatory diagram of an exceptional process of screenlayout control based on the LCT;

FIG. 19A is a diagram showing a data structure of a video componentdescriptor of the broadcasting system;

FIG. 19B is an explanatory diagram of meanings of video signal aspectratios of the video component descriptor;

FIG. 19C is an explanatory diagram of an aspect ratio converting processof the broadcast receiving apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 19D is an explanatory diagram of an aspect ratio converting processof the broadcast receiving apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 20A is a screen display diagram of an EPG screen of the broadcastreceiving apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 20B is a screen display diagram of an EPG screen of the broadcastreceiving apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 20C is a screen display diagram of an EPG screen of the broadcastreceiving apparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a screen display diagram at the time of displaying anemergency warning broadcasting message of the broadcast receivingapparatus according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 22A is a diagram showing a data structure of a contents copycontrol descriptor of the broadcasting system;

FIG. 22B is a diagram showing meanings of copy control information forthe contents copy control descriptors;

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a data structure of a contents usagecontrol descriptor of the broadcasting system;

FIG. 24 is a block diagram of a broadcast receiving apparatus accordingto a second embodiment;

FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram of inconsistent display of currenttime at the time of switching broadcasting services;

FIG. 26A is an explanatory diagram of an operation of selection controlof a reference source of current time information according to thesecond embodiment;

FIG. 26B is an operation sequence diagram of an updating process ofcurrent time information according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 27A is a screen display diagram of an EPG screen of the broadcastreceiving apparatus according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 27B is a screen display diagram of an EPG screen of the broadcastreceiving apparatus according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 28 is an explanatory diagram of a content protecting processaccording to a third embodiment; and

FIG. 29 is an explanatory diagram of a content protecting processaccording to a fourth embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described withreference to the drawings.

First Embodiment

[System Configuration]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an example of abroadcast communication system including a broadcast receiving apparatusaccording to the present embodiment. The broadcast communication systemof the present embodiment includes a broadcast receiving apparatus 100,an antenna 100 a, a broadband network such as the Internet 200, a routerdevice 200 r, an access point 200 a, a radio tower 300 t and a broadcastsatellite (or communication satellite) 300 s of a broadcast station, abroadcast station server 300, a service provider server 400, an otherapplication server 500, a mobile phone communication server 600, a basestation 600 b of a mobile phone communication network, and a portableinformation terminal 700.

The broadcast receiving apparatus 100 receives broadcast wavestransmitted from the radio tower 300 t via the broadcast satellite (orcommunication satellite) 300 s and the antenna 100 a. Alternatively, thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 may receive broadcast wavestransmitted from the radio tower 300 t directly from the antenna 100 awithout passing through the broadcast satellite (or communicationsatellite) 300 s. In addition, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 canbe connected to the Internet 200 via the router device 200 r, and thuscan perform data transmission and reception through the communicationwith server devices and other communication equipment on the Internet200.

The router device 200 r is connected to the Internet 200 through wiredcommunication, to the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 through wired orwireless communication, and to the portable information terminal 700through wireless communication. The wireless communication may beestablished by Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or the like. This allows theserver devices and other communication equipment on the Internet 200,the broadcast receiving apparatus 100, and the portable informationterminal 700 to perform data transmission and reception between oneanother via the router device 200 r. Note that the communication betweenthe broadcast receiving apparatus 100 and the portable informationterminal 700 may be performed as direct communication by BlueTooth(registered trademark), NFC (Near Field Communication) or the likewithout passing through the rooter 200 r.

The radio tower 300 t is a broadcasting facility of the broadcaststation and transmits broadcast waves including coded data ofbroadcasting programs, subtitle information, other applications,general-purpose data, and the like. The broadcast satellite (orcommunication satellite) 300 s is a relay device that receives broadcastwaves transmitted from the radio tower 300 t of the broadcast station,performs frequency conversion and the like as appropriate, and thentransmits the radio waves to the antenna 100 a connected to thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100. In addition, the broadcast stationhas the broadcast station server 300. The broadcast station server 300can store metadata such as broadcasting programs (video contents, etc.)and the titles, IDs, summaries, casts, broadcasting dates and the likeof the broadcasting programs, and provide the video contents andmetadata to a service provider based on a contract. Note that the videocontents and metadata may be provided to the service provider through anAPI (Application Programming Interface) in the broadcast station server300.

The service provider server 400 is a server device prepared by theservice provider, and can provide various services cooperated withbroadcasting programs distributed from the broadcast station. Inaddition, the service provider server 400 stores, manages, anddistributes video contents and metadata delivered from the broadcaststation server 300 and various contents, applications and the likecooperated with the broadcasting programs. In addition, the serviceprovider server 400 further has a function of searching for deliverablecontents, applications and the like and presenting a list of them inresponse to an inquiry from the television receiver and the like. Notethat the storage, management, and distribution of the contents andmetadata and those of the applications may be performed by differentserver devices. The broadcast station and the service provider may bethe same or different from each other. A plurality of service providerservers 400 may be prepared for different services. In addition, thebroadcast station server 300 may be provided with the functions of theservice provider server 400.

The other application server 500 is a publicly known server device thatstores, manages, and distributes other general applications, operatingprograms, contents, data, and the like. A plurality of other applicationservers 500 may be provided on the Internet 200.

The mobile phone communication server 600 is connected to the Internet200 and is further connected to the portable information terminal 700via the base station 600 b. The mobile phone communication server 600manages telephone communication (telephone call) and data transmissionand reception performed by the portable information terminal 700 throughthe mobile phone communication network, and allows the portableinformation terminal 700 to perform data transmission and receptionthrough the communication with server devices and other communicationequipment on the Internet 200. The communication between the basestation 600 b and the portable information terminal 700 may be performedby W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access: registeredtrademark), GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications: registeredtrademark), LTE (Long Term Evolution), or other communication methods.

The portable information terminal 700 has a function of telephonecommunication (telephone call) and data transmission and receptionthrough the mobile phone communication network and a function ofwireless communication through Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or the like.The portable information terminal 700 can be connected to the Internet200 via the router device 200 r or the access point 200 a or via thebase station 600 b and the mobile phone communication server 600 on themobile phone communication network, and thus can perform datatransmission and reception through the communication with server devicesand other communication equipment on the Internet 200. The access point200 a is connected to the internet 200 through wired communication andis further connected to the portable information terminal 700 throughwireless communication. The wireless communication may be established byWi-Fi (registered trademark) or the like. Note that the communicationbetween the portable information terminal 700 and the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 may be performed via the access point 200 a, theInternet 200, and the router device 200 r or via the base station 600 b,the mobile phone communication server 600, the Internet 200, and therouter device 200 r.

[Outline of MMT Method]

The broadcast receiving apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a televisionreceiver that supports MMT (MPEG Media Transport) as a media transportmethod for transmitting video and audio data, in place of TS (TransportStream) defined in the MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group)-2 system(hereinafter, “MPEG2-TS”) mainly adopted by conventional digitalbroadcasting systems. The broadcast receiving apparatus 100 may be atelevision receiver supporting both MPEG2-TS and MMT.

MPEG2-TS has a characteristic of multiplexing video and audio componentsand the like making up a program, in a single stream together withcontrol signals and clocks. Since the components are treated as singlestream with the inclusion of clocks, MPEG2-TS is suitable for thetransmission of single contents through a single transmission path withan ensured transmission quality, and thus has been adopted by manyconventional digital broadcasting systems. On the other hand, because ofthe functional limitations of MPEG2-TS for the recent changes in thecontent distribution environment including the diversification ofcontents, diversification of equipment using contents, diversificationof transmission paths through which contents are distributed, anddiversification of contents accumulation environment, MMT has beenestablished as a new media transport method.

FIG. 2A shows one example of an outline of a coded signal in MMT of thepresent embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2A, MMT of the present embodimenthas an MFU (Media Fragment Unit), an MPU (Media Processing Unit), anMMTP (MMT Protocol) payload, and an MMTP packet as elements making upthe coded signal.

The MFU is a format at the time of transmitting video, audio, and thelike, and may be configured in units of NAL (Network Abstraction Layer)unit or access unit. The MPU includes one or more access unit, and theMPU can execute a decoding process of video and/or audio by a singlebody. The MPU may be configured of MPU metadata including informationrelated to the overall configuration of the MPU, movie fragment metadataincluding information of coded media data, and sample data that is codedmedia data. Plural sets of movie fragment data and sample data may existin one MPU. Further, the MFU can be extracted from the sample data. FIG.2B shows one example of a configuration of the MPU. By adding a sequencenumber to each MPU belonging to the same asset, an arbitrary MPU can bedistinguished from other MPUs on the basis of an asset ID foridentifying an asset and the sequence number of the MPU. Further, in thecase of media such as video components and audio components,presentation time and decoding time may be specified in units of MPU oraccess unit.

The MMTP packet is configured of a header and an MMTP payload, andtransmits control information of the MFU andMMT. The MMTP payload has apayload header corresponding to contents (data unit) stored in a payloadsection. FIG. 2C shows one example of an outline of a process of makingthe MFU from video and audio signals, storing the MFU in the MMTPpayload, and then creating the MMTP packet. In the case of a videosignal that is coded using inter-frame prediction, the MPU is desirablyconfigured in units of GOP (Group of Pictures). In addition, when thesize of MFU to be transmitted is small, a single MFU may be stored in asingle payload section, or a plurality of MFUs of the same kind may bestored in a single payload section. In addition, when the size of MFU tobe transmitted is large, a single MFU may be divided and then stored ina plurality of payload sections. In order to recover a packet loss on atransmission path, the MMTP packet may be protected by such techniquesas AL-FEC (Application Layer Forward Error Correction) and ARQ(Automatic Repeat Request).

The broadcasting system of the present embodiment uses MPEG-H HEVC (HighEfficiency Video Coding) as a video coding method, and uses MPEG-4 AAC(Advanced Audio Coding) or MPEG-4 ALS (Audio Lossless Coding) as anaudio coding method. Coded data of video, audio, and the like ofbroadcasting programs that are coded by the methods described above isformatted into MFU or MPU, stored in an MMTP payload, encapsulated in anMMTP packet, and then transmitted in the form of an IP (InternetProtocol) packet. In addition, data contents related to broadcastingprograms may also be formatted into MFU or MPU, stored in an MMTPpayload, encapsulated in an MMTP packet, and then transmitted in theform of an IP packet. Four types of data contents transmission methodsare prepared, which include: (1) a subtitle/caption transmission methodused for data steaming synchronous with broadcasting; (2) an applicationtransmission method used for data transmission service asynchronous withbroadcasting; (3) an event message transmission method used forsynchronous/asynchronous message notification to applications operatingon the television receiver from a broadcast station; and (4) ageneral-purpose data transmission method for synchronous/asynchronoustransmission of other general-purpose data.

In the transmission of MMTP packets, UDP/IP (User DatagramProtocol/Internet Protocol) is used for the broadcast transmission path,and UDP/IP or TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)is used for the communication line. Further, TLV (Type Length Value)multiplexing is used in the broadcast transmission path for efficienttransmission of IP packets. Examples of protocol stack for thebroadcasting system of the present embodiment are shown in FIG. 3. InFIG. 3, (A) shows one example of a protocol stack for the broadcasttransmission path, and (B) shows one example of a protocol stack for thecommunication line.

The broadcasting system of the present embodiment provides a scheme fortransmitting two types of control information, that is, MMT-SI(MMT-Signaling Information) and TLV-SI (TLV-Signaling Information).MMT-SI is control information indicating the configuration of abroadcasting program and the like. This control information is formattedinto an MMT control message, stored in an MMTP payload, encapsulated inan MMTP packet, and then transmitted in the form of an IP packet. TLV-SIis control information related to IP packet multiplexing, and providesinformation for channel selection and correspondence information of IPaddresses and services.

Further, even the broadcasting system using the MMT transmits timeinformation in order to provide an absolute time. Note that componentpresentation time is indicated for each TS based on different clocks inthe MPEG2-TS, while component presentation time is indicated based onthe coordinated universal time (UTC) in the MMT. This scheme allows aterminal device to display components transmitted from differenttransmission points through different transmission paths insynchronization. IP packets conforming to an NTP (Network Time Protocol)are used for providing the UTC.

[Control Information of Broadcasting System Using MMT]

As described above, in the broadcasting system compatible with thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, TLV-SIrelated to a TLV multiplexing method for multiplexing IP packets andMMT-SI related to MMT which is a media transport method are prepared asthe control information. TLV-SI provides information with which thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 demultiplexes IP packets multiplexedin the broadcast transmission path. TLV-SI is composed of a “table” anda “descriptor”. The “table” is transmitted in a section format, and the“descriptor” is placed in the “table”. MMT-SI is transmission controlinformation indicating the information related to configuration of anMMT package and broadcasting services. MMT-SI has a three-layerstructure composed of a “message” layer storing “table” and“descriptor”, a “table” layer having an element and property thatindicate specific information, and a “descriptor” layer indicating moredetailed information. An example of the layer structure of the controlinformation used in the broadcasting system of the present embodiment isshown in FIG. 4.

<Tables Used for TLV-SI>

FIG. 5A shows a list of “tables” used for TLV-SI of the broadcastingsystem compatible with the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of thepresent embodiment. In the present embodiment, the following tables areused as “tables” of TLV-SI.

(1) TLV-NIT

A network information table for TLV (TLV-NIT) provides informationrelated to the physical configuration of a TLV stream transmittedthrough a network and indicates the characteristics of the network.

(2) AMT

An address map table (AMT) provides a list of multicast groups of IPpackets making up respective services transmitted through the network.

(3) Table Set by Provider

Other tables set uniquely by the service provider and the like may beprepared.

<Descriptors Used for TLV-SI>

FIG. 5B shows a list of “descriptors” included in TLV-SI of thebroadcasting system compatible with the broadcast receiving apparatus100 of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, the followingdescriptors are used as “descriptors” of TLV-SI.

(1) Service List Descriptor

A service list descriptor provides a list of services classified byservice identifications and service types.

(2) Satellite Delivery System Descriptor

A satellite delivery system descriptor indicates physical conditions fora satellite transmission path.

(3) System Management Descriptor

A system management descriptor is used to distinguish broadcasting fromnon-broadcasting.

(4) Network Name Descriptor

A network name descriptor describes a network name with character codes.

(5) Remote Control Key Descriptor

A remote control key descriptor is used to set a service that isassigned to a one-touch selecting button of a remote controller for areceiver.

(6) Descriptor Set by Provider

Other descriptors set uniquely by the service provider and the like maybe prepared.

<Messages Used for MMT-SI>

FIG. 6A shows a list of “messages” used for MMT-SI of the broadcastingsystem compatible with the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of thepresent embodiment. In the present embodiment, the following messagesare used as “messages” of MMT-SI.

(1) PA message

A package access (PA) message is used to transmit various tables.

(2) M2 section message

An M2 section message is used to transmit section extension format ofthe MPEG-2 Systems.

(3) CA Message

A CA message is used to transmit a table for identifying a conditionalaccess method.

(4) M2 short section message

An M2 short section message is used to transmit section short format ofthe MPEG-2 Systems.

(5) Data transmission message

A data transmission message is a message storing a table related to datatransmission.

(6) Message set by provider

Other messages set uniquely by the service provider and the like may beprepared.

<Tables Used for MMT-SI>

FIG. 6B shows a list of “tables” used for MMT-SI of the broadcastingsystem compatible with the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of thepresent embodiment. A table is control information having an element andproperty that indicate specific information. A table is stored in amessage and is encapsulated in an MMTP packet to be transmitted. Notethat a message that stores a table may be determined in accordance withthe type of the table. In the present embodiment, the following tablesare used as “tables” of MMT-SI.

(1) MPT

An MMT package table (MPT) provides package configuration informationsuch as a list of assets and locations of assets on the network. An MPTmay be stored in a PA message.

(2) PLT

A package list table (PLT) presents a list of IP data flows fortransmitting PA messages of MMT packages provided as a broadcastingservice, packet IDs, and IP data flows for transmitting IP services. APLT may be stored in a PA message.

(3) LCT

A layout configuration table (LCT) is used to correlate layoutinformation for presentation with layout numbers. An LCT may be storedin a PA message.

(4) ECM

An entertainment control message (ECM) is common information made up ofprogram information and control information, and delivers keyinformation for descrambling and others. An ECM may be stored in an M2section message.

(5) EMM

An entitlement management message (EMM) is used to transmit personalinformation including contract information for individual subscribersand key information for decoding ECM (common information). An EMM may bestored in an M2 section message.

(6) CAT (MH)

A conditional access table (CA table (CAT)) (MH) is used to store adescriptor for identifying a conditional access method. A CAT (MH) maybe stored in a CA message.

(7) DCM

A download control message (DCM) transmits key-related informationincluding a key for decoding a transmission path code for downloading. ADCM may be stored in an M2 section message.

(8) DMM A download management message (DMM) transmits key-relatedinformation including a download key for decoding an encoded DCM. A DMMmay be stored in an M2 section message.

(9) MH-EIT

An MH-event information table (MH-EIT) is time-series informationrelated to events included in each service. An MH-EIT may be stored inan M2 section message.

(10) MH-AIT

An MH-application information table (MH-AIT) stores all the informationrelated to applications and startup conditions required forapplications. An MH-AIT may be stored in an M2 section message.

(11) MH-BIT

An MH-broadcaster information table (MH-BIT) is used to provideinformation of broadcasters present on the network. An MH-BIT may bestored in an M2 section message.

(12) MH-SDTT

An MH-software download trigger table (MH-SDTT) is used to providedownload announcement information. An MH-SDTT may be stored in an M2section message.

(13) MH-SDT

An MH-service description table (MH-SDT) has a subtable indicating aservice included in a specific TLV stream and transmits informationrelated to a sub-channel such as a name of sub-channel and a name of abroadcaster. An MH-SDT may be stored in an M2 section message.

(14) MH-TOT

An MH-time offset table (MH-TOT) transmits JST time and date (ModifiedJulian Date) information. An MH-TOT may be stored in an M2 short sectionmessage.

(15) MH-CDT

An MH-common data table (MH-CDT) is used to transmit common data, whichshould be stored in a non-volatile memory, in a section format to allreceivers that receive the MH-CDT. An MH-CDT may be stored in an M2section message.

(16) DDM table

A data directory management (DDM) table provides a directoryconfiguration of files making up an application in order to separate afile configuration of the application from a configuration for filetransmission. A DDM table may be stored in a data transmission message.

(17) DAM table

A data asset management (DAM) table provides a configuration of MPU inan asset and version information of each MPU. ADAM table may be storedin a data transmission message.

(18) DCC table

A data content configuration (DCC) table provides configurationinformation of files as data contents in order to achieve flexible andeffective cache control. A DCC table may be stored in a datatransmission message.

(19) EMT

An event message table (EMT) is used to transmit information related toan event message. An EMT may be stored in an M2 section message.

(20) Table set by provider

Other tables set uniquely by the service provider and the like may beprovided.

<Descriptors Used for MMT-SI>

FIG. 6C, FIG. 6D and FIG. 6E show lists of “descriptors” included inMMT-SI of the broadcasting system compatible with the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment. A descriptor iscontrol information that provides more detailed information, and isincluded in a table. Note that a table in which a descriptor is includedmay be determined in accordance with the type of the descriptor. In thepresent embodiment, the following descriptors are used as “descriptors”of MMT-SI.

(1) Asset group descriptor

An asset group descriptor provides a relation of an asset group and apriority in the group. An asset group descriptor may be included in theMPT.

(2) Event package descriptor

An event package descriptor provides a correlation between an event,which represents a program, and a package. An event package descriptormay be included in MH-EIT stored in an M2 section message to betransmitted.

(3) Background color specifying descriptor A background color specifyingdescriptor provides a background color of a rearmost plane in layoutspecification. A background color specifying descriptor may be includedin LCT.

(4) MPU presentation region specifying descriptor

An MPU presentation region specifying descriptor provides a location ofpresentation of MPU. An MPU presentation region specifying descriptormay be included in the MPT.

(5) MPU timestamp descriptor

An MPU timestamp descriptor indicates the time of presentation of thefirst access unit in the presentation order in the MPU. An MPU timestampdescriptor may be included in the MPT.

(6) Dependency relation descriptor

A dependency relation descriptor provides asset IDs for assets dependenton each other. A dependency relation descriptor may be included in theMPT.

(7) Access control descriptor

An access control descriptor provides information for identifying theconditional access method. An access control descriptor may be includedin the MPT or CAT (MH).

(8) Scramble method descriptor

A scramble method descriptor provides information for identifying atarget to be encoded at the time of scrambling and a type of an encodingalgorithm. A scramble method descriptor may be included in the MPT orCAT (MH).

(9) Message authentication method descriptor

A message authentication method descriptor provides information foridentifying a message authentication method when message authenticationis performed. A message authentication method descriptor may be includedin the MPT or CAT (MH).

(10) Emergency information descriptor (MH)

An emergency information descriptor (MH) is used when emergency warningbroadcasting is performed. An emergency information descriptor (MH) maybe included in the MPT.

(11) MH-MPEG-4 audio descriptor

An MH-MPEG-4 audio descriptor is used to describe basic information forspecifying coding parameters of an audio stream defined in ISO/IEC14496-3 (MPEG-4 audio). An MH-MPEG-4 audio descriptor may be included inthe MPT.

(12) MH-MPEG-4 audio extension descriptor

An MH-MPEG-4 audio extension descriptor is used to describe a profile,level, and specific setting to a coding method of an MPEG-4 audiostream. An MH-MPEG-4 audio extension descriptor may be included in theMPT.

(13) MH-HEVC video descriptor

An MH-HEVC video descriptor is used to describe basic coding parametersfor a video stream (HEVC stream) defined in ITU-T Recommendation H.265and ISO/IEC 23008-2. An MH-HEVC video descriptor may be included in theMPT.

(14) MH-link descriptor

An MH-link descriptor identifies a service that is provided when aviewer demands additional information related to a specific matterdescribed in a program arrangement information system. An MH-linkdescriptor may be included in the MPT, MH-EIT, MH-SDT, and the like.

(15) MH-event group descriptor

An MH-event group descriptor is used to indicate that a plurality ofevents forms a group when these events are related to one another. AnMH-event group descriptor may be included in MH-EIT.

(16) MH-service list descriptor

An MH-service list descriptor provides a list of services classified byservice identifications and service types. An MH-service list descriptormay be included in MH-BIT.

(17) MH-short format event descriptor

An MH-short format event descriptor represents an event name and a shortdescription of the event in a text format. An MH-short format eventdescriptor may be included in MH-EIT.

(18) MH-extension format event descriptor

An MH-extension format event descriptor is added to an MH-short formatevent descriptor, and provides a detailed description of an event. AnMH-extension format event descriptor may be included in MH-EIT.

(19) Video component descriptor

A video component descriptor provides parameters and description for avideo component, and is used also for expressing an elementary stream ina text format. A video component descriptor may be included in the MPTor MH-EIT.

(20) MH-stream identifying descriptor

An MH-stream identifying descriptor is used to attach a label to acomponent stream for a service so that descriptive contents indicated bya video component descriptor in MH-EIT can be referred to with thelabel. An MH-stream identifying descriptor may be included in the MPT.

(21) MH-content descriptor

An MH-content descriptor indicates the genre of an event. An MH-contentdescriptor may be included in MH-EIT.

(22) MH-parental rate descriptor

An MH-parental rate descriptor indicates age-based viewing restriction,and is used to extend the range of restriction based on otherrestriction conditions. An MH-parental rate descriptor may be includedin the MPT or MH-EIT.

(23) MH-audio component descriptor

An MH-audio component descriptor provides parameters for an audioelementary stream, and is used also for expressing the elementary streamin a text format. An MH-audio component descriptor may be included inthe MPT or MH-EIT.

(24) MH-target area descriptor

An MH-target area descriptor is used to describe a target area of aprogram or some streams making up the program. An MH-target areadescriptor may be included in the MPT.

(25) MH-series descriptor

An MH-series descriptor is used to identify a series program. AnMH-series descriptor may be included in MH-EIT.

(26) MH-SI transmission parameter descriptor

An MH-SI transmission parameter descriptor is used to indicate SItransmission parameters. An MH-SI transmission parameter descriptor maybe included in MH-BIT.

(27) MH-broadcaster name descriptor

An MH-broadcaster name descriptor describes a name of a broadcaster. AnMH-broadcaster name descriptor may be included in MH-BIT.

(28) MH-service descriptor

An MH-service descriptor expresses a name of a sub-channel and a name ofa provider of the sub-channel in character code together with a servicetype. An MH-service descriptor may be included in MH-SDT.

(29) IP data flow descriptor

An IP data flow descriptor provides information of IP data flow makingup a service. An IP data flow descriptor may be included in MH-SDT.

(30) MH-CA startup descriptor

An MH-CA startup descriptor describes startup information for starting aCAS program on a CAS board. An MH-CA startup descriptor may be includedin the MPT or CAT (CA).

(31) MH-Type descriptor

An MH-Type descriptor indicates a type of a file transmitted by anapplication transmission method. An MH-Type descriptor may be includedin a DAM table.

(32) MH-Info descriptor

An MH-Info descriptor describes information related to MPU or an item.An MH-Info descriptor may be included in a DAM table.

(33) MH-Expire descriptor

An MH-Expire descriptor describes an expiration date of an item. AnMH-Expire descriptor may be included in a DAM table.

(34) MH-Compression Type descriptor

An MH-Compression Type descriptor states that an item to be transmittedis compressed, and indicates a compression algorithm for the compressionand the number of bytes of the item before the compression. AnMH-Compression Type descriptor may be included in a DAM table.

(35) MH-data coding method descriptor

An MH-data coding method descriptor is used to identify a data codingmethod. An MH-data coding method descriptor may be included in the MPT.

(36) UTC-NPT reference descriptor

A UTC-NPT reference descriptor is used to transmit a relation betweenNPT (Normal Play Time) and UTC. A UTC-NPT reference descriptor may beincluded in EMT.

(37) Event message descriptor

An event message descriptor transmits information generally related toevent messages. An event message descriptor may be included in EMT.

(38) MH-local time offset descriptor

An MH-local time offset descriptor is used to provide a given offsetvalue to actual time (e.g., UTC+9 hours) and display time to a humansystem when a daylight saving time system is implemented. An MH-localtime offset descriptor may be included in an MH-TOT.

(39) MH-component group descriptor

An MH-component group descriptor defines and identifies a combination ofcomponents in an event. An MH-component group descriptor may be includedin MH-EIT.

(40) MH-logo transmission descriptor

An MH-logo transmission descriptor is used to describe pointing to acharacter string for a simplified logo and a logo in a CDT format. AnMH-logo transmission descriptor may be included in MH-SDT.

(41) MPU extension timestamp descriptor

An MPU extension timestamp descriptor provides a time to decode anaccess unit in MPU. An MPU extension timestamp descriptor may beincluded in the MPT.

(42) MPU download contents descriptor

An MPU download contents descriptor is used to describe propertyinformation of contents that are downloaded using MPU. An MPU downloadcontents descriptor may be included in MH-SDTT.

(43) MH-network download contents descriptor

An MH-network download contents descriptor is used to describe propertyinformation of contents that are downloaded through the network. AnMH-network download contents descriptor may be included in MH-SDTT.

(44) MH-application descriptor

An MH-application descriptor describes information of an application. AnMH-application descriptor may be included in an MH-AIT.

(45) MH-transmission protocol descriptor

An MH-transmission protocol descriptor is used to specify a transmissionprotocol for broadcasting, communication, and the like, and to providelocation information of an application depending on the transmissionprotocol. An MH-transmission protocol descriptor may be included in theMH-AIT.

(46) MH-simplified application location descriptor

An MH-simplified application location descriptor provides the detaileddescription of an acquisition destination of an application. AnMH-simplified application location descriptor may be included in theMH-AIT.

(47) MH-application boundary authority setting descriptor

An MH-application boundary authority setting descriptor provides adescription for setting an application boundary and setting an authorityfor access to broadcasting resources for each region (URL). AnMH-application boundary authority setting descriptor may be included inthe MH-AIT.

(48) MH-startup priority information descriptor

An MH-startup priority information descriptor provides a description forspecifying a startup priority of an application. An MH-startup priorityinformation descriptor may be included in the MH-AIT.

(49) MH-cache information descriptor

An MH-cache information descriptor provides a description used for cachecontrol in a case where resources making up an application are saved ina cache when reuse of the application is assumed. An MH-cacheinformation descriptor may be included in the MH-AIT.

(50) MH-probability-applied delay descriptor

An MH-probability-applied delay descriptor provides a description fordelaying the time of execution of application control by a delay timeset probabilistically, with the expectation that server access loads foracquiring the application are to be dispersed. An MH-probability-applieddelay descriptor may be included in the MH-AIT.

(51) Link destination PU descriptor

A link destination PU descriptor describes another presentation unit(PU) to which a presentation unit may possibly make transition. A linkdestination PU descriptor may be included in a DCC table.

(52) Lock cache specifying descriptor

A lock cache specifying descriptor describes a description forspecifying a file to be cached and locked in a presentation unit. A lockcache specifying descriptor may be included in a DCC table.

(53) Unlock cache specifying descriptor

An unlock cache specifying descriptor provides a description forspecifying a file to be unlocked among locked files in a presentationunit. An unlock cache specifying descriptor may be included in a DCCtable.

(54) MH-download protection descriptor

An MH-download protection descriptor describes location information andtransmission information of an MMTP packet to transmit a DCM or a DMM.An MH-download protection descriptor may be included in an MPT or anMH-SDTT.

(55) Application service descriptor

An application service descriptor describes entry information and thelike of an application related to service. An application servicedescriptor may be included in an MPT.

(56) MPU node descriptor

An MPU node descriptor indicates that the MPU corresponds to a directorynode defined by a data directory management table. An MPU nodedescriptor may be included in a DAM table.

(57) PU configuration descriptor

A PU configuration descriptor indicates a list of MPUs making up apresentation unit as mapping information of the presentation unit and atransmission unit. A PU configuration descriptor may be included in aDCC table.

(58) MH-hierarchical coding descriptor

An MH-hierarchical coding descriptor describes information foridentifying a video stream component that is subjected to hierarchicalcoding. An MH-hierarchical coding descriptor may be included in an MPT.

(59) Contents copy control descriptor

A contents copy control descriptor indicates information for controllingcopy generation in a digital recording apparatus with respect to thewhole service, and is used by a broadcast station (a copyright ownerside) to transmit information regarding copy or the maximum transmissionrate to the digital recording apparatus in a case where it is supposedto execute digital recording. A contents copy control descriptor may beincluded in an MPT, an MH-EIT, an MH-SDT, or the like.

(60) Contents usage control descriptor

A contents usage control descriptor is used for indicating informationregarding copy control and remote viewing control in a case where withrespect to a program data thereof are accumulated in a hard disk or thelike or in a case where video/audio signals thereof are output from areceiver. A contents usage control descriptor may be included in an MPT,an MH-EIT, an MH-SDT, or the like.

(61) Descriptor set by provider

Other descriptors set uniquely by the service provider and the like maybe prepared.

<Relation between Data Transmission and Control Information in MMTMethod>

Here, a relation between each of components, such as video and audiotransmitted by a broadcasting system to which the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 according to the present embodiment corresponds, andtypical tables of the MMT-SI will be described with reference to FIG.7A. Note that in an MMT method, each of the components is defined as anasset and in the following, a component may be represented as an asset.

The broadcasting system compatible with the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 of the present embodiment can perform data transmissionthrough a plurality of routes such as TLV streams transmitted throughthe broadcast transmission path and IP data flows transmitted throughthe communication line. A TLV stream includes TLV-SI such as a TLV-NITand an AMT and an IP data flow which is a data flow of IP packets. TheIP data flow includes a video asset including a series of video MPUs andan audio asset including a series of audio MPUs. Similarly, the IP dataflow may include a subtitle asset including a series of subtitle MPUs, acaption asset including a series of caption MPUs, and a data assetincluding a series of data MPUs.

These various assets are associated with “package” by the description ofthe MPT (MMT package table) which is stored in a PA message to betransmitted. Specifically, these assets may be associated with eachother by describing a package ID for identifying a package and an assetID for identifying each asset contained in the package in the MPT. FIG.7B shows one example of a data structure of the MPT. In FIG. 7B, a“MMT_package_id_byte” parameter corresponds to the package ID, and an“asset_id_byte” parameter corresponds to the asset ID.

The assets making up a package may be limited to assets in a TLV stream,but may include assets transmitted by an IP data flow through thecommunication line as shown in FIG. 7A. This is made possible bydescribing location information of the asset in the MPT together withthe asset ID for identifying each asset contained in the package so thatthe broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment can know the reference destination of each asset. Thelocation information is specified by “MMT_general_location_info( )” inthe data structure of the MPT shown in FIG. 7B. FIG. 7C shows oneexample of a data structure of the location information.

In accordance with a value of a “location_type” parameter of thelocation information, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 can refer tovarious pieces of data transmitted through various transmission routesincluding:

(1) data multiplexed in the same IP data flow as the MPT(location_type=0x00);

(2) data multiplexed in an IPv4 data flow (location_type=0x01);

(3) data multiplexed in an IPv6 data flow (location_type=0x02);

(4) data multiplexed in a broadcasting MPEG2-TS (location_type=0x03);

(5) data multiplexed in an MPEG2-TS format in an IP data flow(location_type=0x04); and

(6) data located by a specified URL (location_type=0x05).

Among the reference destinations described above, (1) is, for example,an IP data flow that is contained in a TLV stream of a digitalbroadcasting signal that the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 accordingto the present embodiment receives via the antenna 100 a. However, in acase where the MPT is also included in an IP data flow on the side of acommunication line and is transmitted, the reference destination of (1)may be changed to an IP data flow received via the communication line.Further, (2), (3), (5), and (6) described above are IP data flows thatthe broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment receives via the communication line. In addition, (4)described above can be used when to refer to the data multiplexed inMPEG2-TS received by the receiving function of receiving digitalbroadcasting signals transmitted by the MPEG2-TS method on the basis oflocation information of the MPT included in a digital broadcastingsignal transmitted by the MMT method, in the case of the broadcastreceiving apparatus having both of a receiving function of receivingdigital broadcasting signals transmitted by the MMT method and areceiving function of receiving digital broadcasting signals transmittedby the MPEG2-TS method, like a broadcast receiving apparatus 800 of asecond embodiment (will be descried later).

Further, a presentation time and/or a decoding time can be specified inunits of MPU or access unit in the media such as video components andaudio components. Information on the presentation time and the decodingtime is described in the MPT as the MPU timestamp descriptor or the MPUextension timestamp descriptor. FIG. 7D shows one example of a datastructure of the MPU timestamp descriptor in which information regardingthe presentation time is described. Presentation time information ineach of MPUs is specified by an “MPU_presentation_time” parameter of theMPU timestamp descriptor. Further, the MPU that becomes a target of thespecification can be identified by an “MPU_sequence_number” parameter.In the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment, a plurality of MPUs specified by the MPT can be presented(displayed or output) in conjunction with each other by using thepresentation time information, with reference to a clock based on theNTP which is time information expressed by the UTC notation. Further,the information regarding the decoding time is also similarly describedby the MPU extension timestamp descriptor, but its detailed explanationwill be omitted. Presentation control of various data using the clockbased on the NTP will be described later.

In the broadcasting system according to the present embodiment, a seriesof data of the “package” unit corresponds to “service” of the digitalbroadcasting. Further, the “service” is a series of “programs” that aretransmitted in accordance with a schedule. Each of the “programs” istreated in the MMT method as an “event”. A starting time and a durationtime of each of events are specified by the MH-EIT. Further, an ID ofthe MMT package to which each of the events is specified by the eventpackage descriptor included in the MH-EIT. FIG. 7E shows one example ofa data structure of the MH-EIT. The starting time is specified by a“start_time” parameter in FIG. 7E, and the duration time is specified bya “duration” parameter. FIG. 7F shows one example of a data structure ofthe event package descriptor. Correspondence between each event and theMMT package can be specified by the “MMT_package_id_byte” parameter ofthe event package descriptor included in the MH-EIT. The MH-EIT can beused for various processes performed in units of “event” (e.g., aprocess of creating an electronic program guide, a process ofcontrolling timer recording and viewing reservation, a process ofprotecting copyrights such as temporary data storage, etc.) in thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment.

[Hardware Configuration of Broadcast Receiving Apparatus]

FIG. 8A is a block diagram showing an example of an internalconfiguration of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100. The broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 includes a main control unit 101, a system bus102, a ROM 103, a RAM 104, a storage (accumulation) unit 110, the LANcommunication unit 121, an extension interface unit 124, a digitalinterface unit 125, the tuner/demodulating unit 131, a separating unit132, a video decoder 141, a video color gamut conversion unit 142, anaudio decoder 143, a caption decoder 144, a subtitle decoder 145, asubtitle synthesizing unit 146, a subtitle color gamut conversion unit147, a data decoder 151, a cache unit 152, an application control unit153, a browser unit 154, an application color gamut conversion unit 155,a sound source unit 156, a video synthesizing unit 161, a monitor unit162, a video output unit 163, an audio synthesizing unit 164, a speakerunit 165, an audio output unit 166, and an operation input unit 170.

The main control unit 101 is a microprocessor unit that controls thewhole of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 in accordance with apredetermined operating program. The system bus 102 is a datacommunication path through which data is exchanged between the maincontrol unit 101 and each of operating blocks in the broadcast receivingapparatus 100.

The ROM (Read Only Memory) 103 is a non-volatile memory storing a basicoperating program such as operating system and other operating programs,and is provided as, for example, a rewritable ROM such as an EEPROM(Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM) and a flash ROM. The ROM 103may store operation set values necessary for the operation of thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100. The RAM (Random Access Memory) 104serves as a work area used when the basic operating program and otheroperating programs are executed. The ROM 103 and the RAM 104 may beintegrated with the main control unit 101. Further, apart of the memoryregion of the storage (accumulation) unit 110 may be used as the ROM 103instead of providing the ROM 103 having the independent configurationshown in FIG. 8A.

The storage (accumulation) unit 110 stores the operating programs andoperation set values of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 andpersonal information of the user of the broadcast receiving apparatus100. In addition, the storage (accumulation) unit 110 can store anoperating program downloaded through the Internet 200 and various datacreated by the operating program. Further, the storage (accumulation)unit 110 can store such contents as moving images, still images, andsounds that are acquired from broadcast waves or downloaded through theInternet 200. A part of the memory region of the storage (accumulation)unit 110 may be used to substitute for a part or the whole of thefunction of the ROM 103. Further, the storage (accumulation) unit 110needs to retain the stored information even when power is not suppliedto the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 from an external power source.Therefore, the storage (accumulation) unit 110 is provided as, forexample, a non-volatile semiconductor element memory such as a flash ROMor an SSD (Solid State Driver) or a magnetic disk drive such as an HDD(Hard Disc Drive).

Note that the operating programs stored in the ROM 103 and the storage(accumulation) unit 110 can be added, updated and functionally extendedby a downloading process from server devices on the Internet 200.

The LAN (Local Area Network) communication unit 121 is connected to theInternet 200 via the router device 200 r, and transmits and receivesdata to and from server devices and other communication equipment on theInternet 200. Further, the LAN communication unit 121 acquires an MMTdata string (or part of it) of a program transmitted through thecommunication line. The LAN communication unit 121 may be connected tothe router device 200 r through wired communication or wirelesscommunication such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The LANcommunication unit 121 has a coding circuit, a decoding circuit, and thelike. In addition, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 may furtherinclude other communication units such as a BlueTooth (registeredtrademark) communication unit, an NFC communication unit, and aninfrared communication unit.

The tuner/demodulating unit 131 receives broadcast waves transmittedfrom the radio tower 300 t via the antenna 100 a, and tunes to (selects)a channel giving a service that the user wishes to have, under thecontrol by the main control unit 101. Further, the tuner/demodulatingunit 131 demodulates a received broadcasting signal to acquire an MMTdata string. Although the example of FIG. 8A shows the configuration inwhich the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 has one tuner/demodulatingunit, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 may be configured to have aplurality of tuner/demodulating units for the purpose of simultaneouslydisplaying a plurality of screens or recording a program on a differentchannel.

The separating unit 132 is an MMT decoder, and distributes a video datastring, an audio data string, a caption data string, a subtitle datastring, and the like which are real-time presentation elements to thevideo decoder 141, the audio decoder 143, the caption decoder 144, thesubtitle decoder 145, and the like, respectively, based on a controlsignal included in an MMT data string inputted to the separating unit132. Data inputted to the separating unit 132 may be an MMT data stringtransmitted through the broadcast transmission path to thetuner/demodulating unit 131 and demodulated therein or an MMT datastring transmitted through the communication line to the LANcommunication unit 121. Further, the separating unit 132 reproduces amultimedia application and filed data which is an element making up themultimedia application, and stores them temporarily in the cache unit152. In addition, the separating unit 132 extracts and outputsgeneral-purpose data to the data decoder 151 in order to use it for thestreaming of data used by a player that presents data other than video,audio, and subtitle or for the streaming of data for an application.Further, the separating unit 132 may perform control such as errorcorrection, access restriction, and the like on the input MMT datastring under the control by the main control unit 101.

The video decoder 141 decodes a video data string input from theseparating unit 132 and outputs video information. The video color gamutconversion unit 142 performs a color space conversion process on thevideo information decoded in the video decoder 141 when necessary, inpreparation for a video synthesizing process in the video synthesizingunit 161. The audio decoder 143 decodes an audio data string input fromthe separating unit 132 and outputs audio information. Further, forexample, streaming data of an MPEG-DASH (MPEG-Dynamic Adaptive Streamingover HTTP) format or the like acquired from the Internet 200 through theLAN communication unit 121 may be inputted to the video decoder 141 andthe audio decoder 143. A plurality of video decoders 141, video colorgamut conversion units 142, audio decoders 143, and the like may beprovided in order to simultaneously decode a plurality of kinds of videodata strings and audio data strings.

The caption decoder 144 decodes a caption data string input from theseparating unit 132 and outputs caption information. The subtitledecoder 145 decodes a subtitle data string input from the separatingunit 132 and outputs subtitle information. The caption informationoutput from the caption decoder 144 and the subtitle information outputfrom the subtitle decoder 145 are subjected to a synthesizing process inthe subtitle synthesizing unit 146 and then subjected to a color spaceconversion process in the subtitle color gamut conversion unit 147 whennecessary, in preparation for the video synthesizing process in thevideo synthesizing unit 161. In the present embodiment, among servicespresented simultaneously with the video of a broadcasting program andprovided mainly as text information, a service related to the videocontents is referred to as subtitle, while a service other than that isreferred to as caption. When these services are not distinguished fromeach other, they are collectively referred to as subtitle.

The browser unit 154 presents a multimedia application file and fileddata making up the multimedia application file, which are acquired fromthe cache unit 152 or a server device on the Internet 200 through theLAN communication unit 121, in accordance with an instruction of theapplication control unit 153, which interprets control informationincluded in an MMT data string and control information acquired from aserver device on the Internet 200 through the LAN communication unit121. Note that the multimedia application file may be, for example, anHTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) document or BML (Broadcast MarkupLanguage) document. The application information output from the browserunit 154 is subjected to a color space conversion process in theapplication color gamut conversion unit 155 when necessary, inpreparation for the video synthesizing process in the video synthesizingunit 161. Further, the browser unit 154 causes the sound source unit 156to reproduce application audio information.

The video synthesizing unit 161 receives video information output fromthe video color gamut conversion unit 142, subtitle information outputfrom the subtitle color gamut conversion unit 147, applicationinformation output from the application color gamut conversion unit 155,and the like, and performs a selection process and/or a superpositionprocess as appropriate. The video synthesizing unit 161 has a video RAM(not shown), and the monitor unit 162 and the like are driven based onvideo information and the like inputted to the video RAM. Further, thevideo synthesizing unit 161 performs a scaling process and a superposingprocess of EPG (Electronic Program Guide) screen information createdbased on information such as MH-EIT included in MMT-SI when necessaryunder the control by the main control unit 101. The monitor unit 162 is,for example, a display device such as liquid crystal panel, and offersthe video information subjected to the selection process and/orsuperposition process in the video synthesizing unit 161, to the user ofthe broadcast receiving apparatus 100. The video output unit 163 is avideo output interface that outputs the video information subjected tothe selection process and/or superposition process in the videosynthesizing unit 161.

Note that the presentation function of the broadcast receiving apparatus100 of the present embodiment has a logical plane structure fordisplaying a multimedia service in accordance with the intention of theservice provider. FIG. 8B shows one example of a configuration of thelogical plane structure that the presentation function of the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment has. In the logicalplane structure, a caption plane that displays captions is located onthe forefront layer, a subtitle plane that displays subtitles is locatedon the second layer, a multimedia plane that displays broadcast video,multimedia application or synthesized video thereof is located on thethird layer, and a background plane is located on the rearmost layer.The subtitle synthesizing unit 146 and the video synthesizing unit 161draw the caption information on the caption plane, the subtitleinformation on the subtitle plane, and the video information,application information, and the like on the multimedia plane. Further,background color is drawn on the background plane based on an LCTincluded in MMT-SI. Note that it is also possible to provide a pluralityof multimedia planes on the third layer in accordance with the number ofvideo decoders 141. However, even when a plurality of multimedia planesis provided, application information and the like output from theapplication color gamut conversion unit 155 are displayed only on themultimedia plane located on the forefront layer.

The audio synthesizing unit 164 receives audio information output fromthe audio decoder 143 and application audio information reproduced inthe sound source unit 156, and performs a selection process and/or amixing process as appropriate. The speaker unit 165 offers audioinformation subjected to the selection process and/or mixing process inthe audio synthesizing unit 164 to the user of the broadcast receivingapparatus 100. The audio output unit 166 is an audio output interfacethat outputs the audio information subjected to the selection processand/or mixing process in the audio synthesizing unit 164.

The extension interface unit 124 is a group of interfaces for extendingthe function of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100, and is configuredof an analog video and audio interface, a USB (Universal Serial Bus)interface, a memory interface, and the like in the present embodiment.The analog video and audio interface receives analog video and audiosignals from external video and audio output devices, and outputs analogvideo and audio signals to external video and audio input devices. TheUSB interface is connected to a PC and the like and transmits andreceives data to and from the PC and the like. An HDD may be connectedto the USB interface to record broadcasting programs and contents. Akeyboard and other USB devices may also be connected to the USBinterface. A memory card and other memory media are connected to thememory interface to transmit and receive data to and from them.

The digital interface unit 125 is an interface that outputs or receivescoded digital video data and/or digital audio data. The digitalinterface unit 125 can output an MMT data string acquired by thedemodulation in the tuner/demodulating unit 131, an MMT data stringacquired through the LAN communication unit 121, or mixed data of theMMT data strings as it is. Further, the MMT data string input from thedigital interface unit 125 may be controlled to be inputted to theseparating unit 132. It is also possible to output the digital contentsstored in the storage (accumulation) unit 110 via the digital interfaceunit 125 or store the digital contents to the storage (accumulation)unit 110 via the digital interface unit 125.

The digital interface unit 125 is provided as a DVI terminal, HDMI(registered trademark) terminal, or Displayer Port (registeredtrademark) terminal, and thus outputs and receives data in the formatcompliant with DVI specifications, HDMI specifications, or DisplayerPort specifications. Alternatively, the digital interface unit 125 mayoutput or receive data in a serial data format conforming to IEEE 1394specifications and the like. Further, the digital interface unit 125 maybe configured as an IP interface that performs the digital interfaceoutput via hardware such as Ethernet (registered trademark) and wirelessLAN. In such a case, the digital interface unit 125 and the LANcommunication unit 121 may share the hardware configuration.

The operation input unit 170 is an instruction input unit on whichoperation instructions to the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 areinput. In the present embodiment, the operation input unit 170 isconfigured of a remote control receiving unit that receives commandstransmitted from a remote controller and operation keys in which buttonswitches are arranged (not shown), or may be configured of either theremote control receiving unit or the operation keys. Alternatively, theoperation input unit 170 may be substituted by a touch panel overlaid onthe monitor unit 162 or by a keyboard and others connected to theextension interface unit 124. The remote controller (not shown) may besubstituted by the portable information terminal 700 having a remotecontrol command transmission function.

Note that, when the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 is a televisionreceiver or the like as mentioned above, the video output unit 163 andthe audio output unit 166 are not essential constituent elements of thepresent invention. Further, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 is notlimited to a television receiver, but may be an optical disc driverecorder such as DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) recorder, a magnetic diskdrive recorder such as an HDD recorder, or an STB (Set Top Box). Thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 may also be a PC (Personal Computer),a tablet terminal, a navigation device, a game machine, and the likehaving a digital broadcast receiving function and abroadcasting/communication cooperation function. When the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 is the DVD recorder, the HDD recorder, STB, orthe like, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 does not have to beprovided with the monitor unit 162 and the speaker unit 165. In such acase, the operation similar to that of the broadcast receiving apparatus100 of the present embodiment is possible by connecting an externalmonitor and an external speaker to the video output unit 163, the audiooutput unit 166, or the digital interface unit 125.

[Software Configuration of Broadcast Receiving Apparatus]

FIG. 8C is a software configuration diagram of the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 of the present embodiment, and shows respective softwareconfigurations of the ROM 103, the RAM 104, and the storage(accumulation) unit 110. In the present embodiment, the ROM 103 stores abasic operating program 1001 and other operating programs, and thestorage (accumulation) unit 110 stores a receiving function program1002, a cooperating function program 1003, a recording/reproducingfunction program 1004, and other operating programs. Further, thestorage (accumulation) unit 110 includes a contents memory region 1200storing such contents as moving images, still images, and sounds, anauthentication information memory region 1300 storing authenticationinformation and the like needed when access is made to an externalportable terminal or server device, and a various information memoryregion storing other various types of information.

The basic operating program 1001 stored in the ROM 103 is loaded ontothe RAM 104, and the loaded basic operating program 1001 is executed bythe main control unit 101 to configure a basic operation executing unit1101. Similarly, the receiving function program 1002, the cooperatingfunction program 1003, and the recording/reproducing function program1004 stored in the storage (accumulation) unit 110 are loaded onto theRAM 104, and the receiving function program 1002, the cooperatingfunction program 1003, and the recording/reproducing function program1004 thus loaded are executed by the main control unit 101 to configurea receiving function executing unit 1102, a cooperating functionexecuting unit 1103, and a recording/reproducing function executing unit1104, respectively. Further, the RAM 104 has a temporary memory regionthat temporarily saves data created at execution of each operatingprogram when necessary.

In the following, for simpler description, a process in which the maincontrol unit 101 loads the basic operating program 1001 from the ROM 103onto the RAM 104 and executes the basic operating program 1001 tocontrol each operating block is described simply as a process in whichthe basic operation executing unit 1101 performs control of eachoperating block. The same applies also to the description of otheroperating programs.

The receiving function executing unit 1102 controls each operating blockof the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 to reproduce video and audiocomponents transmitted by the broadcasting system of the presentembodiment. In particular, a transport processing unit 1102 a mainlycontrols the MMT decoder function of the separating unit 132, anddistributes a video data string, audio data string, and the likeseparated from an MMT data string to corresponding decode processingunits, respectively. An AV decode processing unit 1102 b mainly controlsthe video decoder 141, the audio decoder 143, and the like. Anapplication processing unit 1102 c mainly controls the cache unit 152,the application control unit 153, the browser unit 154, and the soundsource unit 156. A caption processing unit 1102 d mainly controls thecaption decoder 144. A subtitle processing unit 1102 e mainly controlsthe subtitle decoder 145. A general-purpose data processing unit 1102 fmainly controls the data decoder 151. An EPG generating unit 1102 ginterprets the descriptive contents of an MH-EIT and others included inMMT-SI to generate an EPG screen. A presentation processing unit 1102 hmainly controls the video color gamut conversion unit 142, the subtitlesynthesizing unit 146, the subtitle color gamut conversion unit 147, theapplication color gamut conversion unit 155, the video synthesizing unit161, and the audio synthesizing unit 164 based on the logical planestructure.

Further, the cooperating function executing unit 1103 manages deviceauthentication and connection, data transmission and reception, and thelike when the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 performs operationscooperated with an external apparatus such as the portable informationterminal 700. The recording/reproducing function executing unit 1104performs controls when broadcasting programs acquired from digitalbroadcast waves of the present broadcasting system, contents acquiredfrom each of server devices on the network, and the like are recorded inthe contents memory region 1200 of the storage (accumulation) unit 110or an external storage and the like that are connected to the extensioninterface unit 124 or when the broadcasting program and/or contents isreproduced.

The above-described operating programs may be stored in advance in theROM 103 and/or the storage (accumulation) unit 110 at the time ofproduct shipment, or may be acquired from the other application server500 and others on the Internet 200 through the LAN communication unit121 after the product shipment. Alternatively, the operating programsstored in a memory card, optical disc, and the like may be acquiredthrough the extension interface unit 124 and others.

[Configuration of Broadcast Station Server]

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of an internalconfiguration of the broadcast station server 300. The broadcast stationserver 300 includes a main control unit 301, a system bus 302, a RAM304, a storage unit 310, a LAN communication unit 321, and a digitalbroadcasting signal transmission unit 360.

The main control unit 301 is a microprocessor unit that controls thewhole of the broadcast station server 300 in accordance with apredetermined operating program. The system bus 302 is a datacommunication path through which data is exchanged between the maincontrol unit 301 and each of operating blocks in the broadcast stationserver 300. The ROM 304 serves as a work area used when each operatingprogram is executed.

The storage unit 310 stores a basic operating program 3001, abroadcasting contents management/distribution program 3002, and abroadcasting contents transmission program 3003, and includes abroadcasting contents memory region 3200 and a metadata memory region3300. The broadcasting contents memory region 3200 stores the contentsof broadcasting programs and others broadcasted by the broadcaststation. The metadata memory region 3300 stores metadata such as thetitles, IDs, summaries, casts, and broadcasting dates of thebroadcasting programs and copy control information related to programcontents.

Further, the basic operating program 3001, the broadcasting contentsmanagement/distribution program 3002, and the broadcasting contentstransmission program 3003 stored in the storage unit 310 are loaded ontothe RAM 304, and the respective loaded programs are executed by the maincontrol unit 301 to configure a basic operation executing unit 3101, abroadcasting contents management/distribution executing unit 3102, and abroadcasting contents transmission executing unit 3103.

In the following, for simpler description, a process in which the maincontrol unit 301 loads the basic operating program 3001 from the storageunit 310 onto the RAM 304 and executes the basic operating program 3001to control each operating block is described simply as a process inwhich the basic operation executing unit 3101 performs control of eachoperating block. The same applies also to the description of otheroperating programs.

The broadcasting contents management/distribution executing unit 3102performs management of the contents of broadcasting programs stored inthe broadcasting contents memory region 3200 and the metadata stored inthe metadata memory region 3300, and performs control when the contentsof broadcasting programs and metadata are delivered to a serviceprovider based on a contract. Further, when delivering the contents ofbroadcasting programs and metadata to the service provider, thebroadcasting contents management/distribution executing unit 3102 mayperform a process of authenticating the service provider server 400based on the contract when necessary.

The broadcasting contents transmission executing unit 3103 manages atime schedule and others when transmitting an MMT data string, whichincludes the contents of broadcasting programs accumulated in thebroadcasting contents memory region 3200, and the titles and IDs ofbroadcasting programs and copy control information of program contentsaccumulated in the metadata memory region 3300, from the radio tower 300t via the digital broadcasting signal transmission unit 360.

The LAN communication unit 321 is connected to the Internet 200, andcommunicates with the service provider server 400 and others on theInternet 200. The LAN communication unit 321 has a coding circuit, adecoding circuit, and the like. The digital broadcasting signaltransmission unit 360 modulates an MMT data string composed of a videodata string, audio data string, program data string, and the like of thecontents of broadcasting programs accumulated in the broadcastingcontents memory region 3200, and transmits the modulated data string asthe digital broadcast waves through the radio tower 300 t.

[Configuration of Service Provider Server]

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of an internalconfiguration of the service provider server 400. The service providerserver 400 includes a main control unit 401, a system bus 402, a RAM404, a storage unit 410, and a LAN communication unit 421.

The main control unit 401 is a microprocessor unit that controls thewhole of the service provider server 400 in accordance with apredetermined operating program. The system bus 402 is a datacommunication path through which data is exchanged between the maincontrol unit 401 and each of operating blocks in the service providerserver 400. The ROM 404 serves as a work area that is used when eachoperating program is executed.

The storage unit 410 stores a basic operating program 4001, a videocontents management/distribution program 4002, and an applicationmanagement/distribution program 4004, and includes a video contentsmemory region 4200, a metadata memory region 4300, an application memoryregion 4400, and a user information memory region 4500. The videocontents memory region 4200 stores the contents of broadcasting programsprovided from the broadcast station server 300 as video contents, andstores video contents and the like created by the service provider. Themetadata memory region 4300 stores metadata provided from the broadcaststation server 300 and metadata related to video contents created by theservice provider. The application memory region 4400 stores variousapplications and others for distributing the services cooperated withbroadcasting programs in response to demands from television receivers.The user information memory region 4500 stores information (personalinformation, authentication information, etc.) related to a user who ispermitted to access the service provider server 400.

Further, the basic operating program 4001, the video contentsmanagement/distribution program 4002, and the applicationmanagement/distribution program 4004 stored in the storage unit 410 areloaded onto the RAM 404, and the respective loaded basic operatingprogram, video contents management/distribution program, and applicationmanagement/distribution program are executed by the main control unit401 to configure a basic operation executing unit 4101, a video contentsmanagement/distribution executing unit 4102, and an applicationmanagement/distribution executing unit 4104.

In the following, for simpler description, a process in which the maincontrol unit 401 loads the basic operating program 4001 stored in thestorage unit 410 onto the RAM 404 and executes the basic operatingprogram 4001 to control each operating block is described simply as aprocess in which the basic operation executing unit 4101 performscontrol of each operating block. The same applies also to description ofother operating programs.

The video contents management/distribution executing unit 4102 acquiresthe contents and others of broadcasting programs and metadata from thebroadcast station server 300, manages video contents and others andmetadata stored in the video contents memory region 4200 and themetadata memory region 4300, and controls distribution of the videocontents and others and metadata to television receivers. Further, whendistributing the video contents and others and metadata to thetelevision receivers, the video contents management/distributionexecuting unit 4102 may perform a process of authenticating thetelevision receivers when necessary. Further, the applicationmanagement/distribution executing unit 4104 manages applications storedin the application memory region 4400 and controls distribution of theapplications in response to demands from the television receivers.Further, when distributing the applications to the television receivers,the application management/distribution executing unit 4104 may performa process of authenticating the television receivers when necessary.

The LAN communication unit 421 is connected to the Internet 200, andcommunicates with the broadcast station server 300 on the Internet 200and the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 via the router device 200 r.The LAN communication unit 421 includes a coding circuit, a decodingcircuit, and the like.

[Hardware Configuration of Portable Information Terminal]

FIG. 11A is a block diagram showing an example of an internalconfiguration of the portable information terminal 700. The portableinformation terminal 700 includes a main control unit 701, a system bus702, a ROM 703, a RAM 704, a storage unit 710, a communicationprocessing unit 720, an extension interface unit 724, an operation unit730, an image processing unit 740, an audio processing unit 750, and asensor unit 760.

The main control unit 701 is a microprocessor unit that controls thewhole of the portable information terminal 700 in accordance with apredetermined operating program. The system bus 702 is a datacommunication path through which data is exchanged between the maincontrol unit 701 and each of operating blocks in the portableinformation terminal 700.

The ROM 703 is a memory storing a basic operating program such asoperating system and other operating programs, and is provided as, forexample, a rewritable ROM such as EEPROM and flash ROM. The RAM 704serves as a work area used when the basic operating program and otheroperating programs are executed. The ROM 703 and the RAM 704 may beintegrated with the main control unit 701. Further, apart of the memoryregion of the storage unit 710 may be used as the ROM 703 instead ofproviding the ROM 703 having the independent configuration shown in FIG.11A.

The storage unit 710 stores the operating programs and operation setvalues of the portable information terminal 700 and personal informationof the user of the portable information terminal 700. In addition, thestorage unit 710 can store an operating program downloaded through theInternet 200 and various data created by the operating program. Further,the storage unit 710 can store such contents as moving images, stillimages, and sounds that are downloaded through the Internet 200. Apartof the memory region of the storage unit 710 may be used to substitutefor a part or the whole of the function of the ROM 703. Further, thestorage unit 710 needs to retain the stored information even when poweris not supplied to portable information terminal 700 from an externalpower source. Therefore, the storage unit 710 is provided as, forexample, a non-volatile semiconductor element memory such as flash ROMor SSD or a magnetic disk drive such as an HDD.

Note that the operating programs stored in the ROM 703 and the storageunit 710 can be added, updated and functionally extended by thedownloading downloading process from server devices on the Internet 200.

The communication processing unit 720 includes a LAN communication unit721, a mobile phone network communication unit 722, and an NFCcommunication unit 723. The LAN communication unit 721 is connected tothe Internet 200 via the router device 200 r and the access point 200 a,and transmits and receives data to and from server devices and othercommunication equipment on the Internet 200. The LAN communication unit721 is connected to the router device 200 r and the access point 200 athrough wireless communication such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). Themobile phone network communication unit 722 performs telephonecommunication (telephone call) and data transmission and receptionthrough wireless communication with the base station 600 b on the mobilephone communication network. The NFC communication unit 723 communicateswirelessly with the corresponding reader/writer when located inproximity to the reader/writer. The LAN communication unit 721, themobile phone network communication unit 722, and the NFC communicationunit 723 each have a coding circuit, a decoding circuit, an antenna, andthe like. The communication processing unit 720 may further includesother communication units such as a BlueTooth (registered trademark)communication unit and an infrared communication unit.

The extension interface unit 724 is a group of interfaces for extendingthe function of the portable information terminal 700, and is configuredof a video and audio interface, a USB interface, a memory interface, andthe like in the present embodiment. The video and audio interfacereceives video and audio signals from external video and audio outputdevices, and outputs video and audio signals to external video and audioinput devices. The USB interface is connected to a PC and others andtransmits and receives data to and from the PC and others. A keyboardand other USB devices may also be connected to the USB interface. Amemory card and other memory media are connected to the memory interfaceto transmit and receive data to and from them.

The operation unit 730 is an instruction input unit that inputsoperation instructions to the portable information terminal 700. In thepresent embodiment, the operation unit 730 is composed of a touch panel730 t overlaid on a display unit 741 and operation keys 730 k in whichbutton switches are arranged. The operation unit 730 may be composed ofeither the touch panel 730 t or the operation keys 730 k. The portableinformation terminal 700 may be operated using a keyboard or the likeconnected to the extension interface unit 724, or may be operated usinga separate terminal device connected through wired communication orwireless communication. Namely, the portable information terminal 700may be operated through instructions from the broadcast receivingapparatus 100. Further, the display unit 741 may be provided with theabove-described touch panel function.

The image processing unit 740 includes the display unit 741, an imagesignal processing unit 742, a first image input unit 743, and a secondimage input unit 744. The display unit 741 is, for example, a displaydevice such as liquid crystal panel, and offers image data processed inthe image signal processing unit 742 to the user of the portableinformation terminal 700. The image signal processing unit 742 has avideo RAM (not shown), and the display unit 741 is driven based on imagedata inputted to the video RAM. Further, the image signal processingunit 742 has a function of performing processes of converting formats,superposing a menu and other OSD (On Screen Display) signals, and otherswhen necessary. Each of the first image input unit 743 and the secondimage input unit 744 is a camera unit that inputs image data ofsurroundings or a target object by converting light input through a lensinto electrical signals by using an electronic device such as a CCD(Charge Coupled Device) and CMOS (Complementary Metal OxideSemiconductor) sensor.

The audio processing unit 750 includes an audio output unit 751, anaudio signal processing unit 752, and an audio input unit 753. The audiooutput unit 751 is a speaker, and offers an audio signal processed inthe audio signal processing unit 752 to the user of the portableinformation terminal 700. The audio input unit 753 is a microphone, andconverts the voice of the user and others into audio data to input it tothe portable information terminal 700.

The sensor unit 760 is a group of sensors that detect the state of theportable information terminal 700, and includes a GPS receiving unit761, a gyro sensor 762, a geomagnetic sensor 763, an acceleration sensor764, an illuminance sensor 765, and a proximity sensor 766 in thepresent embodiment. These sensors make it possible to detect thelocation, tilt, angle, and motion of the portable information terminal700, and the brightness and the proximity of an object around theportable information terminal 700. The portable information terminal 700may further include other sensors such as a pressure sensor in additionto these sensors.

The portable information terminal 700 may be provided as a cellularphone, a smartphone, or a tablet terminal, or may be provided as a PDA(Personal Digital Assistants), a notebook PC, or the like.Alternatively, the portable information terminal 700 may be provided asa digital still camera, a video camera capable of taking movingpictures, a portable game machine, a navigation device, or otherportable digital devices.

The configuration example of the portable information terminal 700 shownin FIG. 11A includes a number of constituent elements that are notessential to the present embodiment such as the sensor unit 760, buteven the configuration that does not include such constituent elementsdoes not impair the effect of the present embodiment. The portableinformation terminal 700 may further include additional constituentelements (not shown) such as a digital broadcast receiving function andan electronic money settlement function.

[Software Configuration of Portable Information Terminal]

FIG. 11B is a software configuration diagram of the portable informationterminal 700 of the present embodiment, and shows respective softwareconfigurations of the ROM 703, the RAM 704, and the storage unit 710. Inthe present embodiment, the ROM 703 stores a basic operating program7001 and other operating programs, and the storage unit 710 stores acooperation control program 7002 and other operating programs. Further,the storage unit 710 includes a contents memory region 7200 storing suchcontents as moving images, still images, and sounds, an authenticationinformation memory region 7300 storing authentication information andothers needed when access is made to the television receiver or eachserver device, and a various information memory region storing othervarious types of information.

The basic operating program 7001 stored in the ROM 703 is loaded ontothe RAM 704, and the loaded basic operating program is executed by themain control unit 701 to configure a basic operation executing unit7101. Similarly, the cooperation control program 7002 stored in thestorage unit 710 is loaded onto the RAM 704, and the loaded cooperationcontrol program 7002 is executed by the main control unit 701 toconfigure a cooperation control executing unit 7102. Further, the RAM704 has a temporary memory region that temporarily saves data created atexecution of each operating program when necessary.

In the following, for simpler description, a process in which the maincontrol unit 701 loads the basic operating program 7001 from the ROM 703onto the RAM 704 and executes the basic operating program 7001 tocontrol each operating block is described simply as a process in whichthe basic operation executing unit 7101 performs control of eachoperating block. The same applies also to the description of otheroperating programs.

The cooperation control executing unit 7102 manages deviceauthentication, connection, data transmission and reception, and thelike when the portable information terminal 700 performs operationscooperated with the television receiver. Further, the cooperationcontrol executing unit 7102 has a browser engine function for executingan application cooperated with the television receiver.

The above-described operating programs may be stored in advance in theROM 703 and/or the storage unit 710 at the time of product shipment, ormay be acquired from the other application server 500 and others on theInternet 200 through the LAN communication unit 721 or the mobile phonenetwork communication unit 722 after the product shipment.Alternatively, the operating programs stored in a memory card, opticaldisc, and the like may be acquired through the extension interface unit724 and others.

[Time Management of Broadcast Receiving Apparatus]

The broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment has two types of time management functions. A first timemanagement function is a time management function based on the NTP, anda second time management function is a time management function based onthe MH-TOT. In the following, the two types of time management functionswill be described.

<Time Management Function Based on NTP>

First, the time management function based on the NTP will be described.

FIG. 12A shows one example of a system configuration for clocksynchronization/presentation synchronization in the broadcasting systemcompatible with the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the presentembodiment. In the broadcasting system of the present embodiment, UTCexpressed in a 64-bit-length NTP timestamp format is transmitted fromthe broadcast transmitting system to the receiver (broadcast receivingapparatus 100 of the present embodiment). In the NTP timestamp format,“second or more” of UTC is expressed by 32 bits, and “less than second”is also expressed by 32 bits. In practice, however, it is difficult toreproduce one second in 32-bit precision. For this reason, for example,a clock with a frequency of “24^(th) power of 2” Hz (about 16.8 MHz) maybe used as a system clock for video system synchronization and a systemclock for operating a timepiece conforming to the NTP as shown in FIG.7C. Considering the fact that the frequency of a system clock adopted ina conventional broadcasting system is 27 MHz and the hardwareconfiguration of the receiver can be simplified, it is desirable that aclock whose frequency is exponentiation of 2 ranging from “24^(th) powerof 2” to “28^(th) power of 2” is adopted as the system clock.

When the frequency of the system clock is set to exponentiation of 2ranging from “24^(th) power of 2” to “28^(th) power of 2” in thebroadcast transmitting system and the receiver as described above, 4 to8 low-order bits in the NTP timestamp format transmitted from thebroadcast transmitting system to the receiver, the low-order bits beingnot referred to by a PLL (Phase Locked Loop) system for reproducing thesystem clock or the timepiece conforming to the NTP, may be fixed to “0”or “1”. Namely, when the frequency of the system cock is “n^(th) powerof 2” Hz (n=24 in FIG. 12A, the same applies hereinafter), “32-n”low-order bits in the NTP timestamp format may be fixed to “0” or “1”.Alternatively, the receiver may perform the process without regard forthe “32-n” low-order bits in the NTP timestamp format.

When receiving time information in the NTP format, the broadcasttransmitting system builds the PLL system with a 32+n bit counterincluding VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) with a frequency of“n^(th) power of 2” Hz, thereby providing a transmission system clockthat synchronizes with the time information given from outside. Further,the broadcast transmitting system causes the overall signal processingunits to operate in synchronization with the system clock of “n^(th)power of 2” Hz. In addition, the broadcast transmitting systemperiodically transmits the output of the transmission system clock astime information in the NTP-length format to the receiver through thebroadcast transmission path. Note that “32-n” low-order bits, whichrepresent “less than second”, of 32 bits may also be fixed to “0” or “1”in the time information in the NTP-length format that is to betransmitted to the receiver side. Namely, this is because a system clockcounter of the broadcast transmitting system side is constituted by 32+nbits.

The receiver receives the time information in the NTP-length formatthrough the broadcast transmission path and reproduces a receptionsystem clock by the PLL system including the VCO with the frequency of“n^(th) power of 2” Hz in the same manner as the broadcast transmittingsystem. As a result, the reception system clock works in synchronizationwith the transmission system clock of the broadcast transmitting system.Further, by operating the signal processing system of the receiver insynchronization with the system clock of “n^(th) power of 2” Hz, clocksynchronization between the broadcast transmitting system and thereceiver can be achieved, and thus the stable signal reproduction can beachieved.

Further, a decoding time and a presentation time in units ofpresentation of video and audio signals are set based on the timeinformation in the NTP format in the broadcast transmitting system. Thedecoding time is specified by the MPU extension timestamp descriptor(not shown in the drawings) stored in the MPT. Further, the presentationtime is specified by the MPU timestamp descriptor (see FIG. 7D) storedin the MPT. An “MPU_sequence_number (MPU sequence number)” parameter inthe MPU timestamp descriptor indicates the sequence number of the MPUthat describes a timestamp, an “MPU_presentation_time (MPU presentationtime)” parameter indicates the presentation time of the MPU in a 64-bitNTP timestamp format. Namely, the receiver can control timing ofpresentation (display, output and the like) for each of the MPUs such asvideo/audio signals, subtitles, captions or the like by referring theMPU timestamp descriptor stored in the MPT.

In the case of paying attention to the above-described control ofdecoding timing and presentation timing of video and audio signals inunits of presentation, synchronization of video and audio signals can beensured by a clock with a frequency of about “16^(th) power of 2” Hz(about 65.5 KHz). In this case, it is not necessary to refer to 16low-order bits in an NTP timestamp format described in an MPU timestampdescriptor or the like. Namely, when a clock of “m^(th) power of 2” Hz,which is generated by dividing the frequency of system clock, is usedfor the control of decoding timing and presentation timing, it is notnecessary to refer to “32-m” low-order bits in an NTP timestamp formatdescribed in an MPU timestamp descriptor or the like. Thus, the “32-m”low-order bits in the NTP timestamp format described in the MPUtimestamp descriptor or the like may be fixed to “0” or “1”.

<Time Management Function Based on MH-TOT>

FIG. 12B shows one example of a configuration of the time informationthat is to be transmitted in the NTP format in the time managementfunction based on the NTP described above. A “reference_timestamp”parameter, “transmit_timestamp” parameter, and the like in the NTPformat represent time data in the NTP-length format with a 64-bitlength, and an “mpu_presentation_time” parameter in the MPU timestampdescriptor also represents time data in the NTP timestamp format with a64-bit length. In the time data in the NTP-length format and the timedata in the NTP timestamp format, “second or more” of UTC is expressedby 32 bits, and “less than second” is also expressed by 32 bits. Namely,the time information in the NTP format can transmit the time informationup to “less than second”. Moreover, since the time information in theNTP format is expressed in the UTC notation, it is different from timemanagement in conventional digital broadcasting. As shown in FIG. 3, bymanaging both of a data flow transmitted through the broadcasttransmission path and a data flow distributed through the communicationline by means of the time information in the NTP format, it is possibleto match both of the data easily.

In contrast, the time information transmitted by the MH-TOT is asfollows.

FIG. 12C shows one example of the data structure of the MH-TOT. Thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the present embodimentcan acquire the current date and current time from a “JST_time”parameter included in the MH-TOT. As shown in FIG. 12D, the “JST_time”parameter includes the information of 16 lower-order bits of coded dataof the current date based on the Modified Julian Date (MJD) and theinformation of 24 bits representing the Japan Standard Time (JST) with 6blocks of 4-bit binary-coded decimal (BCD). The current date can becalculated by performing a given calculation on the 16-bit coded data ofthe MJD. Further, the 6 blocks of 4-bit binary-coded decimal are made upof first 2 blocks of 4-bit binary-coded decimal that represent “hour”with a two-digit decimal number, next 2 blocks of 4-bit binary-codeddecimal that represent “minute” with a two-digit decimal number, andlast 2 blocks of 4-bit binary-coded decimal that represent “second” witha two-digit decimal number.

Namely, a difference between time management based on the NTP format andtime management based on the MH-TOT is that the former time managementbased on the NTP format can transmit time information up to “less thansecond” as described above, while in the latter time management based onthe MH-TOT, only time information up to “in seconds” in JST notation canbe transmitted.

In the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, thetime management function based on the NTP that is the time informationexpressed in the UTC notation is used for the synchronization indecoding process and display process of broadcasting signal contentsincluding video, audio, subtitles, and captions, and other presentationdata, and thus it is possible to achieve a highly accuratesynchronization process. Further, by referring to time informationexpressed in the UTC notation instead of time information based onclocks of the broadcast station, it is also possible to perform thesynchronization in decoding process and display process between contentsreceived by broadcasting signals including video, audio, subtitles,captions, and other data and data received through the communicationline including video, audio, subtitles, and captions, and other data.

Moreover, in the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to thepresent embodiment, the time management function based on the “JST_time”including the 24-bit information expressed by 6 blocks of 4-bitbinary-coded decimal in the MH-TOT may be used for performing a processof presenting a current time to the user or each of the processes ofhandling the MH-EIT shown in FIG. 7E. In general, in the process ofpresenting the current time to the user, the broadcast receivingapparatus is rarely required to have the accuracy to the extent of lessthan “second”. Further, each piece of time information described in theMH-EIT is stored as 24-bit information composed of 6 blocks of 4-bitbinary-coded decimal, expressing “hour”, “minute”, and “second” withtwo-digit decimal numbers, like the EIT for conventional digitalbroadcasting that is transmitted by the MPEG2-TS method. For thisreason, the time management function based on the MH-TOT of thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the present embodimenteasily matches with each of processes of handling the MH-EIT.Specifically, each of the processes of handling the MH-EIT includes aprocess of creating an electronic program guide, a process ofcontrolling timer recording and viewing reservation, a process ofmanaging (or protecting) copyrights such as temporary data storage, andthe like, for example. This is because each of these processes is rarelyrequired to have the accuracy to the extent of less than “second”, andthe accuracy covering up to time unit “second” is enough.

Further, the process of creating an electronic program guide, theprocess of controlling timer recording and viewing reservation, theprocess of protecting copyrights such as temporary data storage, and thelike are functions incorporated even in a receiver of the conventionaldigital broadcasting system using the MPEG2-TS method. Accordingly, ifthe broadcasting system of the present embodiment is configured in sucha way as to execute the time management process compatible with the timemanagement function of the conventional digital broadcasting systemusing the MPEG2-TS method in performing the process of creating anelectronic program guide, the process of controlling timer recording andviewing reservation, the process of protecting copyrights such astemporary data storage, and others, it becomes unnecessary to separatelydesign process algorithms for these processes (process of creating anelectronic program guide, process of controlling timer recording andviewing reservation, process of protecting copyrights such as temporarydata storage, etc.) when the broadcast receiving apparatus having bothof a receiving function of digital broadcasting by the conventionalMPEG2-TS method and a receiving function of digital broadcasting by theMMT method is configured, and the cost is thus reduced.

Further, even in a receiver that does not have the receiving function ofdigital broadcasting by the conventional MPEG2-TS method but has onlythe receiving function of digital broadcasting by the MMT method,algorithms for the function incorporated in the receiver of digitalbroadcasting system using the conventional MPEG2-TS method can beapplied without creating new algorithms for the processes of creating anelectronic program guide, controlling timer recording and viewingreservation, protecting copyrights such as temporary data storage, andthe like, and thus the development with less cost is possible.

Consequently, with the configuration in which the time managementfunction based on the “JST_time” parameter in the MH-TOT is used forperforming these processes (process of creating an electronic programguide, process of controlling timer recording and viewing reservation,process of protecting copyrights such as temporary data storage, etc.),even the broadcast receiving apparatus for the digital broadcasting bythe MMT method is made highly compatible with the broadcasting systemusing the conventional broadcasting method, and therefore can beprovided at low cost.

As describe above, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the presentembodiment has the time management function using two types of timeinformation different in accuracy from each other. Namely, first timeinformation is expressed in the notation consistent with theconventional digital broadcasting system, while second time informationhas higher resolution power than the first time information. Using thesecond time information for the process of synchronizing contents dataof broadcasting signals achieves the information presentation processmore accurate than that in the conventional broadcasting system, andusing the first time information for the processes of creating anelectronic program guide, controlling timer recording and viewingreservation, protecting copyrights such as temporary data storage, andothers allows the broadcast receiving apparatus to be provided at lowcost.

Therefore, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the presentembodiment has the two types of time management function describedabove, and it is thus possible to achieve both of the highly accurateinformation presentation and the cost reduction.

First Modification Example of Time Management

Next, a first modification example of the time management in thebroadcasting system of the present embodiment will be described below.

In the configuration of the first modification example, in order toimprove the accuracy of time management by the NTP-based time managementfunction that has already been described with reference to FIG. 12A,information related to an estimated delay time in time informationtransmission from a time management server (not shown in the drawings)or the broadcast station server 300 to the broadcast receiving apparatus100 is included in a broadcasting signal to be transmitted, and theinformation related to the estimated delay time is used to correct asystem clock for the NTP-based time management function in the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100.

At this time, the information related to the estimated delay time may beincluded in a TMCC (Transmission and Multiplexing Configuration Control)region outside the TLV multiplexing stream instead of the TLVmultiplexing stream of the protocol stack in the broadcast transmissionpath shown in FIG. 3 (A). By transmitting the information in the TMCCregion, the information related to the estimated delay time can beextracted without performing a process of separating the TLVmultiplexing stream (demultiplexing process) in the broadcast receivingapparatus 100. Namely, the information acquisition that is less likelyto be affected by the delay in the separating process in the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 is possible, and thus a highly accuratecorrecting process of the system clock can be performed. An example ofthe data structure of time information transmitted in the TMCC signalwill be described with reference to FIG. 12E. For example, the timeinformation is preferably stored in a TMCC extension information regionto be transmitted. In the time information in the TMCC extensioninformation region shown in FIG. 12E, a “delta” parameter expresses theestimated value of transmission delay from a time management server thatdistributes the UTC or a server device that generates a TMCC signal to ageneral broadcast receiving apparatus, in the form of a 32-bit signedfixed-point value. Note that the 16 high-order bits thereof represent aninteger part and 16 low-order bits thereof represent a decimal fraction.A “transmit_timestamp” parameter is a transmission timestamp, andexpresses a time at which the TMCC signal is transmitted from the serverdevice, in the NTP timestamp-length format. The 32 high-order bitsthereof represent an integer part, and the 32 low-order bits thereofrepresent a decimal fraction.

In the first modification example, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100of the present embodiment can correct more accurately the system clockfor the NTP-based time management function, which is used for theprocess of synchronizing contents data of broadcasting signals, by usingthe information related to the estimated delay time (e.g., the “delta”parameter and/or the “transmit_timestamp” parameter) described in thetime information stored and transmitted in the TMCC extensioninformation region.

Second Modification Example of Time Management

Next, a second modification example of the time management in thebroadcasting system of the present embodiment will be described below.

As describe above, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the presentembodiment has the time management function of managing the time byacquiring the current date and the Japan Standard Time from theinformation transmitted in the MH-TOT. The current date and the JapanStandard Time acquired from the information transmitted in the MH-TOTare superposed on video information, application information, and othersin the video synthesizing unit 161 of the broadcast receiving apparatus100, and are offered to the user by outputting them to the monitor unit162 and video output unit 163. As described above, the MH-TOT has thedata structure shown in FIG. 12C, and the broadcast receiving apparatus100 can acquire the current date and the current time from the“JST_time” parameter in the MH-TOT.

However, since the “JST_time” parameter uses only the 16 low-order bitsof the MJD coded data, calculation for determining a date of “Apr. 22,2038” ends up in arithmetic overflow, and the above-describedpredetermined calculation cannot express the date following “Apr. 23,2038”. To deal with this problem, in the second modification example ofthe present embodiment, the calculation method is switched depending onwhether the value of the MJD is equal to or larger than a given value orthe value is smaller than the given value so that the date following“Apr. 23, 2038” can be expressed.

FIG. 12F shows one example of a first calculation method that is usedwhen the value of the MJD is equal to or larger than the given value anda second calculation method that is used when the value of the MJD issmaller than the given value. For example, when the given value is setto “32768 (0x8000)”, the current date is calculated by using the firstcalculation method in the case where the value of the MJD is equal to orlarger than “32768”, and is calculated by using the second calculationmethod in the case where the value of the MJD is smaller than “32768”.Note that the case in which the value of the MJD is smaller than “32768”is equivalent to the case in which the most significant bit of the16-bit data of the MJD is “0”. In this manner, the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 of the present embodiment can express the date following“Apr. 23, 2038”. However, the given value can be determined arbitrarily,and it may be set to, for example, “16384 (0x4000)” or “49152 (0xC000)”.The condition for switching the calculation method may be set to thecase where the 2 high-order bits of the 16-bit data of the MJD are “00”or the case where the 2 high-order bits of the 16-bit data of the MJDare not “11”. Note that, when the given value is set to “32768” and theabove-described method is used, a date preceding “Sep. 4, 1948” cannotbe expressed, but it does not pose a specific problem regarding thepractical use of the television receiver.

Alternatively, the first calculation method and the second calculationmethod may be switched depending on a flag that replaces a part or thewhole of a “reserved” parameter in the data structure of the MH-TOT ofFIG. 12C or depending on a newly added flag, instead of switching thefirst calculation method and the second calculation method depending onthe result of comparison between the MJD and the given value. Forexample, in the case where the most significant bit of the 16-bit codeddata of the MJD is “0”, the flag is set to “1” when the MJD valuerepresents the date following “Apr. 23, 2038”, and the flag is set to“0” when the MJD value does not represent the date following “Apr. 23,2038”. Then, when the flag is “1”, the second calculation method shownin FIG. 12F is used, while when the flag is “0”, the first calculationmethod is used. Alternatively, a descriptor having the same meaning asthe above-mentioned flag may be newly prepared and added to the MH-TOT.

As described above, in the broadcasting system of the presentembodiment, absolute time data in the NTP format is transmitted, and thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment has theNTP-based time management function. In addition, the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 of the present embodiment controls the decoding timing andpresentation timing of video and audio signals in units of presentationby referring to NTP timestamps and others described in MPU timestampdescriptors set in units of MPU. As described above, the timeinformation in the NTP format has the configuration shown in FIG. 12B.Further, the MPU timestamp descriptor has the configuration shown inFIG. 7D.

Accordingly, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the presentembodiment may select either the first calculation method or the secondcalculation method in accordance with the value of time data and othersobtained by referring to the “reference_tiemstamp” parameter, the“transmit_timestamp” parameter, or the “mpu_presentation_time”parameter. Specifically, for example, when the most significant bit ofthe 64-bit time data in the NTP-length format is “0”, the secondcalculation method is used, and when the most significant bit is not“0”, the first calculation method is used.

By any of the above methods, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 ofthe present embodiment can express the date following “Apr. 23, 2038”.

[Channel Selection Process (Initial Scan) in Broadcast ReceivingApparatus]

The AMT of the broadcasting system of the present embodiment provides alist of IP packet multicast groups that is used to receive IP packetstransmitted by the TLV multiplexing method without distinguishing themfrom IP packets transmitted through the communication line as much aspossible. A plurality of IP multicast groups can be listed for oneservice identification. In addition, in order to describe a series of IPaddresses efficiently, an address mask can be used.

In the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment, a list of services acquired from the TLV-NIT can be storedin a non-volatile memory such as the ROM 103 and the storage unit 110 atthe time of channel scan in the initial setting or rescan for thesetting change, and a list of IP multicast groups corresponding to theservices can be associated with the services as IP-related informationand stored in the non-volatile memory. The list of services andIP-related information are stored in the non-volatile memory to bereferred to constantly, so that a need of acquiring the TLV-NIT or AMTat the time of channel switching and others is eliminated, and thus thebroadcasting contents can be efficiently acquired.

FIG. 13A is a diagram showing an example of an operation sequence at thetime of channel scan (rescan) in the broadcast receiving apparatus 100of the present embodiment.

When the channel scan starts, the receiving function executing unit 1102sets an initial frequency value for the tuner/demodulating unit 131 andinstructs the tuner/demodulating unit 131 to tune to the frequency value(S101). When the tuner/demodulating unit 131 succeeds in locking to theset frequency value (S102: Yes), the receiving function executing unit1102 acquires the TLV-NIT from a received signal (S103).

When the TLV-NIT acquired in the process of S103 is valid data (S104:Yes), the receiving function executing unit 1102 acquires information ofa TLV stream ID, an original network ID, and the like from the acquiredTLV-NIT (S105). FIG. 13B shows an example of the data structure of theTLV-NIT. The information of the TLV stream ID and the information of theoriginal network ID can be acquired from a “tiv_stream_id” parameter andan “original_network_id” parameter, respectively. Furthermore, deliverysystem information related to physical conditions for the broadcasttransmission path corresponding to the TLV stream ID and the originalnetwork ID is acquired from a delivery system descriptor (S106), and aservice ID list is acquired from a service list descriptor (S107).

FIG. 13C shows one example of the data structure of a satellite deliverysystem descriptor. FIG. 13D shows one example of the data structure of aservice list descriptor. Note that, when the TLV-NIT has a plurality ofdifferent pieces of data such as the TLV stream ID, the original networkID, the delivery system information, and the service ID list, theprocesses of S105 to S107 are repeated. Subsequently, the receivingfunction executing unit 1102 creates a service list based on dataacquired in the processes of S105 to S107 such as the TLV stream ID, theoriginal network ID, the delivery system information, and the service IDlist, and stores the created service list in the ROM 103 or the storageunit 110 (updates the service list at the time of rescan) (S108).

Next, the receiving function executing unit 1102 then acquires an AMTfrom the received signal (S109), and further acquires a list of IPmulticast groups related to each service ID stored in the service list(S110). FIG. 13E shows an example of the data structure of the AMT. Notethat, when the AMT has lists of IP multicast groups related to aplurality of service IDs, the process of S110 is repeated. When there isa plurality of AMTs having lists of IP multicast groups related todifferent service IDs, the processes of S109 and S110 are repeated.Next, the receiving function executing unit 1102 then associates thelist of IP multicast groups acquired in the process of S110 with theservice ID as IP-related information, and stores the IP-relatedinformation in the ROM 103 or the storage unit 110 (updates theIP-related information at the time of rescan) (S111).

When the tuner/demodulating unit 131 fails in locking to the setfrequency value in the process of S102 (S102: No) and when the TLV-NITacquired in the process of S103 is not valid data (S104: No), theprocesses of S105 to S111 are not performed.

After finishing the process of S111, when finding that the frequencyvalue set for the tuner/demodulating unit 131 is a final frequency valuein a channel scan range (S112: Yes), the receiving function executingunit 1102 ends the operation sequence. On the other hand, when findingthat the set frequency value is not the final frequency value in thechannel scan range (S112: No), the receiving function executing unit1102 increases the frequency value set for the tuner/demodulating unit131 (S113) and repeats the processes of S102 to S111. Note that, if theservice IDs for all services making up the broadcasting network can beacquired from one TLV-NIT and an AMT having lists of IP multicast groupsrelated to the service IDs can be acquired, the processes of S112 andS113 are unnecessary.

Through the series of processes described above, when performing thechannel scan for initial setting or the rescan for setting change, thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment cancreate/update a list of services making up the broadcasting network(service list), and at the same time, create/update a list of IPmulticast groups corresponding to each service (IP-related information)and store the created service list and IP-related information in anon-volatile memory such as the ROM 103 and the storage unit 110.

Note that the rescan for setting change may be automatically performedwhen a change in the information in the table is detected by referringto respective “version_number” parameters of the TLV-NIT and AMT. When achange in the “version_number” parameter of either the TLV-NIT or AMT isdetected, only the information related to the table in which the changein parameter is detected may be automatically updated. However, when theabove-described automatic updating is performed, execution of theautomatic rescan should preferably be reported to the user.Alternatively, the change in the information in the table may bereported to the user so that the user makes a decision on whether or notto perform the rescan.

[Channel Selection Process (Channel Switching) in Broadcast ReceivingApparatus]

FIG. 14A is a diagram showing one example of an operation sequence atthe time of channel selection (channel switching) in the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment.

When the user gives a command to switch a channel by operating a remotecontroller and others (not shown), the receiving function executing unit1102 interprets the command transmitted from the remote controller andspecifies a service ID of an intended service (S201). Next, thereceiving function executing unit 1102 then starts to acquire an AMTfrom the signal received from the tuner/demodulating unit 131. Whensucceeding in acquiring the AMT within a given time (S202: Yes), thereceiving function executing unit 1102 acquires information related to alist of IP multicast groups corresponding to the service ID, from theacquired AMT (S204). When failing to acquire the AMT within the giventime (S202: No), the receiving function executing unit 1102 refers tothe IP-related information stored in the ROM 103 or the storage unit 110(S203), thereby acquiring information related to the list of IPmulticast groups corresponding to the service ID (S204). Note that thereceiving function executing unit 1102 may always refer to theIP-related information stored in the ROM 103 or the storage unit 110without performing the determination process of S202.

Subsequently, the receiving function executing unit 1102 starts toacquire the TLV-NIT from the signal received from the tuner/demodulatingunit 131. When succeeding in acquiring the TLV-NIT within a given time(S205: Yes), the receiving function executing unit 1102 acquiresdelivery system information for acquiring an IP data flow correspondingto the service ID, from the acquired TLV-NIT (S207). When failing toacquire the TLV-NIT within the given time (S205: No), the receivingfunction executing unit 1102 refers to the service list stored in theROM 103 or the storage unit 110 (S206), thereby acquiring the deliverysystem information for acquiring the IP data flow corresponding to theservice ID (S207). Note that the receiving function executing unit 1102may always refer to the service list stored in the ROM 103 or thestorage unit 110 without performing the determination process of S205.

When the delivery system information has been acquired in the process ofS207, the receiving function executing unit 1102 then controls thetuner/demodulating unit 131 with the frequency value specified by theacquired delivery system information, receives the IP data flowcorresponding to the service ID (S208), extracts an MMT data string fromthe received IP data flow, and outputs the MMT data string to theseparating unit 132.

In the separating unit 132, the transport processing unit 1102 aacquires an MMTP packet with a packet ID “0”, from the input MMT datastring (S209), and further acquires an MPT from the acquired MMTP packet(S210). Next, the transport processing unit 1102 a then refers to an“MMT_package_id_byte” parameter included in the acquired MPT, and checkswhether the 16 low-order bits of the “MMT_package_id_byte” parameterhave the same value as the service ID. When the 16 low-order bits of the“MMT_package_id_byte” parameter have the same value as the service ID inthe example of the data structure of the MPT shown in FIG. 7B (S211:Yes), the transport processing unit 1102 a determines that the MMTPpacket with the packet ID “0” is an MMTP packet having the data of theprogram corresponding to the service ID, and shifts to an acquiringprocess of an MFU based on information included in the acquired MPT(S216).

On the other hand, when the 16 low-order bits of the“MMT_package_id_byte” parameter do not have the same value as theservice ID (S211: No), it is determined that the MMTP packet with thepacket ID “0” is not the MMTP packet having data of the programcorresponding to the service ID. In this case, the transport processingunit 1102 a newly acquires a PLT (S212), and checks the acquired PLT toconfirm a packet ID (x in this case) of an MMTP packet that transmits anMPT having the “MMT_package_id_byte” parameter corresponding to theservice ID (S213). Further, the transport processing unit 1102 a thenacquires an MMTP packet with a packet ID “x” from the above-mentionedinput MMT data string (S214), and acquires an MPT from the acquired MMTPpacket (S215). Moreover, the transport processing unit 1102 a thenstarts the acquiring process of the MFU based on information included inthe acquired MPT (S216).

Note that the transport processing unit 1102 a may always perform theprocesses of S212 to S215 without performing the processes of S209 toS211. In this case, the process time can be reduced when the data of theprogram corresponding to the service ID is stored in an MMTP packetother than the MMTP packet with the packet ID “0”.

Here, the process described above of specifying the packet ID of theMMTP packet having data on the program corresponding to the service IDto acquire the MPT by confirming the PLT will be described. The MMTPpacket with the packet ID “0” indicates that the PA message is to betransmitted. In the case of multiplexing a plurality of packages, asshown in FIG. 14B, a PLT (package list table) is contained in this PAmessage. The PLT has a list of packet IDs of MMTP packets to each ofwhich the PA message containing an MPT of other package is to betransmitted. By confirming the PLT, it is possible to specify, from thepackage ID, the MMTP packet to which the PA message containing the MPTthat becomes an entry point of each service is to be transmitted. FIG.14C shows one example of a data structure of the PLT. Locationinformation to which the PA message of the package indicated by the“MMT_package_id_byte” parameter is to be transmitted is specified by the“MMT_general_location_info( )”.

The description returns to the operation sequence shown in FIG. 14A. Inthe acquiring process of the MFU, the transport processing unit 1102 afirst refers to the MPT acquired in the processes at S210 or S215 toacquire an IP address and a packet ID of an IP data flow through which adesired MFU is to be transmitted (S216). Further, the presentation timeand the layout number of the MPU are respectively acquired from the MPUtimestamp descriptor included in the MPT and the MPU presentation regionspecifying descriptor included in the MPT (S217, S218), and the MFU isfurther acquired on the basis of the acquired IP address and packet IDof the IP data flow (S219). Next, coded video data, coded audio data,and the like are extracted from the acquired MFU, and a video/audiodecoding process based on control of the AV decode processing unit 1102b is executed. A presenting process based on the information regardingthe presentation time and the information regarding the layout controlthus acquired is executed by control of the presentation processing unit1102 h (S220).

In a case where the PLT cannot be acquired in the process at S212, the“MMT_package_id_byte” parameter that coincides with the service IDcannot be confirmed in the process at S213, or the MMTP packet whosepacket ID is “x” cannot be acquired in the process at S215, a programimage output process based on the data on the MMTP packet whose packetID acquired in the process at S210 is “0” (that is, the processes atS216 to S220) may be executed. Further, in this case, a messageindicating that a program corresponding to the service ID selected bythe user cannot be displayed may be displayed.

Through the series of processes described above, the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 of the present embodiment can execute a channel selection(channel switching) operation. In particular, as described above withreference to FIGS. 13A and 14A, a service list and IP-relatedinformation are created and are stored in a non-volatile memory such asthe ROM 103 and the storage unit 110 so as to be referred to constantlyat the time of channel scan for initial setting or rescan for settingchange, and the service list and IP-related information stored in anon-volatile memory such as the ROM 103 and the storage unit 110 arereferred to at the time of channel selection (channel switching), sothat the efficiency of the channel selection (channel switching)operation can be improved. Namely, the time taken from the start to endof the channel selection (channel switching) can be reduced, compared toa case where the AMT and the TLV-NIT are acquired again at the time ofchannel selection (channel switching).

[Remote Controller Key Setting Process of Broadcast Receiving Apparatus]

FIG. 15A shows one example of appearance of a remote controller 100Rthat is used for input of an operation instruction to the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. The remotecontroller 100R at least includes a power source key 100R1, a numerickeypad 100R2, a channel up/down key 100R3, a menu key 100R4, an EPG key100R5, a cursor key 100R6, a determination key 100R7, and a color key100R8. The remote controller 100R may further include a volume up/downkey, a network switching key, an input switching key, a recording key, areproducing key, and the like.

For example, in the process at S201 of the operation sequence at thetime of the channel selection shown in FIG. 14A, the following threemethods may be used in a case where switching of channels is instructedto the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment by using the remote controller 100R. A first method is amethod of directly inputting and specifying a service ID of a desiredchannel (or service) by pressing any key of the numeric keypad 100R2several times. A second method is a method of changing channels in aforward direction (or a reverse direction) until a desired channel (orservice) is displayed by repeatedly pressing the channel up/down key100R3 as needed. A third method is a method of carrying out so-calledone-touch channel selection to call a predetermined channel (or service)associated with each of keys of the numeric keypad 100R2 by pressing thecorresponding key of the numeric keypad 100R2 only once. Although theone-touch channel selection that is the third method is a user-friendlychannel selection method, it is necessary that setting of association ofpredetermined channels (or services) to the respective keys of thenumeric keypad 100R2 is carried out for the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 in advance.

The broadcast receiving apparatus 100 corresponding to the broadcastingsystem according to the present embodiment can automatically execute thesetting of association on the basis of control information contained inthe digital broadcast waves received by the tuner/demodulating unit 131.Namely, the broadcasting system according to the present embodimentprepares a remote control key descriptor as a descriptor for TLV-SI. Thesetting of association may be executed by referring the remote controlkey descriptor.

FIG. 15B shows one example of a data structure of the remote control keydescriptor. A “service_id” parameter in FIG. 15B is a service ID foridentifying a channel (or service). A “remote_control_key_id” parameteris a recommended value of a remote controller button number to which thechannel (or service) identified by the service ID is assigned. Thechannel (or service) identified by the “service_id” parameter may beassociated with a key specified by the “remote_control_key_id” parameterof the numeric keypad 100R2 in accordance with a value of each of theparameters.

In a case where the number of channels (or services) in the same networkis large, the channels (or services) may be assigned to other keys thanthe numeric keypad 100R2. For example, predetermined channels (orservices) may respectively be assigned to keys of the color key 100R8.In this case, a numerical value corresponding to the“remote_control_key_id” parameter may also be assigned to each key ofthe color key 100R8 in advance.

The remote control key descriptor may be described as a descriptor ofthe TLV-NIT. Thus, for example, in a case where the TLV-NIT acquired inthe process at S103 in the operation sequence at the time of the channelscan shown in FIG. 13A is effective data, the setting of association maybe executed together with the processes at S105 to S107 by storingdescriptive contents of the remote control key descriptor in the ROM 103of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 or a non-volatile memory suchas the storage unit 110.

The setting of association may be executed by appropriately assigningservices of arbitrary channels to the respective keys of the numerickeypad 100R2 in accordance with user's own taste in addition to themethod of executing it in accordance with the descriptive contents ofthe remote control key descriptor as described above. Further, both ofthe setting of association based on the descriptive contents of theremote control key descriptor and the setting of association assigned inaccordance with the user's own taste may be stored in the non-volatilememory of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 at the same time, andonly one setting may be used by selection of a menu operation or thelike. Further, in this case, the setting of association assigned inaccordance with the user's own taste may be used on a priority basis.Further, the setting of association based on the descriptive contents ofthe remote control key descriptor may be used preferentially inaccordance with a value of a priority flag described in the remotecontrol key descriptor compared with the setting of association assignedin accordance with the user's own taste. The priority flag may be set byusing a part or all of the “reserved” parameter of the remote controlkey descriptor shown in FIG. 15B, or may be set by adding a newparameter thereto. In this case, the value of the priority flag may beallowed to be controlled for each service ID.

Further, in a case where the setting of association assigned inaccordance with the user's own taste is stored in the non-volatilememory, the setting of association based on the descriptive contents ofthe remote control key descriptor may not be allowed to be stored in thenon-volatile memory. Further, only the setting of association assignedin accordance with the user's own taste is stored in the non-volatilememory of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100. In a case where theremote control key descriptor is described in the TLV-NIT that is beingreceived, the setting of association based on the descriptive contentsof the remote control key descriptor is used. In a case where the remotecontrol key descriptor is not described in the TLV-NIT that is beingreceived, the setting of association assigned in accordance with theuser's own taste may be used.

A process of changing the association of a predetermined channel (orservice) with each key of the numeric keypad 100R2 in accordance withthe descriptive contents of the remote control key descriptor may beexecuted for all services described in service list descriptor on thenetwork specified by the TLV-NIT at the same time, or may be executedfor only a part of the services. In a case where the process is executedfor only a part of services, the old setting of the association for eachof the other services may be held as they are. Further, in a case wherethe “service_id” parameter is a predetermined value (for example, 999 orthe like), only the setting specified by the “remote_control_key_id”parameter of the set contents stored in the non-volatile memory of thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 may be deleted.

Namely, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment can execute the setting of association of a predeterminedchannel (or service) with each key of the numeric keypad 100R2.

[Program Selecting Process for Multi Programming Channel]

In the broadcasting system according to the present embodiment, multiprogramming is available in which a plurality of programs is broadcaston one channel (or service) in parallel. In a case where simultaneousbroadcasting of a plurality of programs is executed by the multiprogramming, it is thought that the one-touch channel selectiondescribed above can be carried out for a main channel of the multiprogramming, but cannot be carried out for a sub channel of the multiprogramming. Namely, in a case where a channel is selected from the subchannel of the multi programming, it is necessary to use a method ofdirectly inputting and specifying a service ID, or a method of selectinga desired sub channel by pressing the channel up/down key 100R3 after achannel is temporarily selected from the main channel of the multiprogramming by the one-touch channel selection. There is a problem thatan operation becomes complicated.

In order to solve the problem, in the broadcast receiving apparatus 100according to the present invention, a function of the one-touch channelselection is extended. By repeatedly pressing any key in the numerickeypad 100R2 to which a predetermined service ID is assigned severaltimes within a given time, the channel can be directly selected from thesub channel of the multi programming.

This will be described with reference to FIG. 16A. For example, serviceof 011 channel is assigned in advance to “1” key in the numeric keypad100R2 of the remote controller 100R. In this case, in a case where thereis a channel selection operation in a state that the multi programmingis not executed (see (A) in FIG. 16A), the 011 channel is selectedregardless of the number of times to press the “1” key. On the otherhand, in a case where there is a channel selection operation in a statethat the multi programming is executed (see (B) in FIG. 16A), the 011channel is selected by pressing the “1” key once. When the “1” key ispressed again within the given time since first pressing of the “1” key,012 channel is selected. Similarly, in a case where the “1” key ispressed three times within the given time, 013 channel is selected. In acase where the “1” key is pressed again over the given time since thefirst pressing of the “1” key, a state of selecting the 011 channel maybe maintained.

By allowing the operation as described above, in the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 according to the present invention, it is possible todirectly select a sub channel by more simple operation at the time ofthe multi programming.

Similarly, angle selection of a multiview compliant program or selectionof a predetermined video asset from a plurality of video assets may beexecuted by repeatedly pressing any key of the numeric keypad 100R2several times. As shown in FIG. 16B, in a case where a service ID of themultiview compliant program is assigned to the “1” key of the numerickeypad 100R2 in the remote controller 100R, the multiview compliantprogram is selected by pressing the “1” key once, and a main view isdisplayed. Further, when the “1” key is pressed again within the giventime since the first pressing of the “1” key, sub view 1 of themultiview compliant program is displayed. Similarly, in a case where the“1” key is pressed three times within the given time, sub view 2 of themultiview compliant program is displayed. In a case where the “1” key ispressed again over the given time since the first pressing of the “1”key, the main view of the multiview compliant program may be displayedas it is. The selection of the predetermined video asset from theplurality of video assets may be allowed by the similar operationdescribed above.

In the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentinvention, by allowing the operation as described above, it is possibleto select angle selection of the multiview compliant program and apredetermined video asset from a plurality of video assets by moresimple operation.

In a case where one or more program at the time of the multi programmingis a multiview compliant program or a program having a plurality ofassets, only one of the operations may be effective and the other may beineffective. For example, in a case where one or more program at thetime of the multi programming is the multiview compliant program or theprogram having the plurality of assets, the operation to press the samekey several times within the given time is assigned to a process ofdirectly selecting a sub channel at the time of the multi programming.Whether any operation is effective or ineffective may be defined inadvance, or may be selected by the user.

[Screen Layout Control of Broadcast Receiving Apparatus]

The broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment cancontrol the screen layout based on the description of an LCT. FIG. 17Ashows one example of a data structure of the LCT. FIG. 17B shows oneexample of a data structure of the MPU presentation region specifyingdescriptor.

In the data structure of the LCT, a “left_top_pos_x” parameter and a“right_down_pos_x” parameter indicate a horizontal position on the topleft of a region and a horizontal position on the bottom right of theregion in terms of the ratio of the number of pixels to the total numberof pixels arranged in the horizontal direction, respectively, when theleft side of the full-screen display is defined as “0” and the rightside of the same is defined as “100”. A “left_top_pos_y” parameter and a“right_down_pos_y” parameter indicate a vertical position on the topleft of the region and a vertical position on the bottom right of theregion in terms of the ratio of the number of pixels to the total numberof pixels arranged in the vertical direction, respectively, when the topside of the full-screen display is defined as “0” and the bottom side ofthe same is defined as “100”. Further, a “layer_order” parameterindicates a relative position in the depth direction of the region.

Examples of layout assignment to layout numbers based on the parametersettings will be described below together with set values for theparameters.

FIG. 17C shows default layout setting of the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 of the present embodiment, and shows an example in whichone region is set for the full-screen. FIG. 17D shows an example inwhich the full-screen is divided into three regions, and the respectiveregions are defined as “region 0”, “region 1” and “region 2”. Forexample, when the full-screen is made up of 7680 horizontal pixels×4320vertical pixels, the “region 0” is set within a range of (0, 0)-(6143,3455) because the “left_top_pos_x” parameter is “0”, the“left_top_pos_y” parameter is “0”, the “right_down_pos_x” parameter is“80”, and the “right_down_pos_y” parameter is “80”. In the same manner,the “region 1” is set within a range of (6144, 0) to (7679, 4319), andthe “region 2” is set within a range of (0, 3456) to (6143, 4319).

FIG. 17E shows an example in which three regions are set like theexample of FIG. 17D. In the example of FIG. 17E, however, the “region 0”is set within a range of (0, 0) to (7679, 4319), and the “region 1” and“region 2” are set within the same ranges of the “region 1” and “region2” described above and are located in front of the “region 0” inaccordance with the setting of the “layer_order” parameter. FIG. 17Fshows an example in which the “region 0” is set in a device 0 (defaultdevice: broadcast receiving apparatus 100 in the present embodiment) andthe “region 1” is set in a device 1 (portable information terminal 700in the present embodiment).

As described above, in the broadcasting system of the presentembodiment, screen layout control for displaying multimedia services onthe receiver in a manner intended by the service provider can beperformed by using the LCT.

Note that a predetermined background color specified by a backgroundcolor specifying descriptor described in the LCT may be displayed in aregion in which a program video and a data screen are not displayed bythe screen layout control described above. Further, in a case where thebackground color specifying descriptor is not contained in the LCT, in acase where the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 cannot acquire thebackground color specifying descriptor correctly, or in a case where thepredetermined background color specified by the background colorspecifying descriptor cannot be displayed by hardware limit, apredetermined pattern defined by the broadcast receiving apparatus 100in advance may be displayed in the region. Further, the region may beused as a notification display region from the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 to the user. Note that the notification may be arbitraryinformation.

Note that decimal fractions that are generated when the screen isdivided in accordance with the setting values of the “left_top_pos_x”parameter and others are rounded up or down, or rounded off (or in thecase of binary numbers, “0” is rounded down while “1” is rounded up).For example, when the full-screen is made up of 7680 horizontalpixels×4320 vertical pixels and the “left_top_pos_x” parameter of the“region 0” is “0”, the “left_top_pos_y” parameter is “0”, the“right_down_pos_x” parameter is “51”, and the “right_down_pos_y”parameter is “51”, the “region 0” may be set within a range of (0,0)-(3916, 2203) by rounding up decimal fractions or may be set within arange of (0, 0)-(3915, 2202) by rounding down decimal fractions.Alternatively, decimal fractions may be rounded up or down in units of8-pixel blocks or 16-pixel blocks in consideration of macro-blocks atthe time of an image compression process. Through the process describedabove, region setting based on the LCT and conversion of the resolutionof multimedia contents in the above region can be performed efficiently.

Alternatively, the setting value of the parameter such as the“left_top_pos_x” may be limited to only “multiples of 5” or “multiplesof 10” in a range from “0” to “100”. In this case, it is possible toexecute the region setting appropriately.

Note that the contents displayed in each of the regions are specified bythe MPU presentation region specifying descriptor shown in FIG. 17B. Thecontents of an MPU whose sequence number is specified by an“MPU_sequence_number” parameter in FIG. 17B are associated with thedescription of the LCT by a “layout number” parameter and a“region_number” parameter.

Further, a plurality of the “layout_number” parameter and the“region_number” parameter may be described in a first “for” loop of thedescription of the MPU presentation region specifying descriptor withrespect to one “MPU_sequence_number” parameter. The user may be causedto select whether layout control is executed in accordance with anydescription. For example, in a case where a “layout_number1” parameter,a “region_number1” parameter, a “layout_number2” parameter, and a“region_number2” parameter are described in the first “for” loop withrespect to a predetermined “MPU_sequence_number” parameter, the user iscaused to select whether the layout control of the MPU specified by the“MPU_sequence_number” parameter is executed on the basis of the“layout_number1” parameter and the “region_number1” parameter or on thebasis of the “layout_number2” parameter and the “region_number2”parameter. In this manner, the user can carry out the layout controlregarding the video program in accordance with user's own taste.

[Exceptional Process of Screen Layout Control of Broadcast ReceivingApparatus]

Even when the control of the screen layout region is performed based onthe LCT in the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the presentembodiment, if the user gives an instruction to display an EPG screen,the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment canperform the screen layout control in which the descriptive contents ofthe LCT is left out of account, as an exceptional process. FIG. 18Ashows one example of an operation of the exceptional process of thescreen layout control based on the LCT.

When the screen layout control similar to that shown in FIG. 17D isperformed based on the descriptive contents of the LCT, a video ofbroadcasting program is displayed in the “region 0”, and broadcastingcontents such as program-cooperation data cooperated with thebroadcasting program are displayed in the “region 1” and the “region 2”,if the user gives an instruction to display an EPG screen with theremote controller (not shown), the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 ofthe present embodiment shifts the screen layout setting back to thedefault setting (i.e., a state in which the screen layout controlsimilar to that shown in FIG. 17C is performed) as shown in (A) of FIG.18A regardless of the descriptive contents of the LCT, and controls thescreen layout to display the EPG screen on the entire screen. Further,when the user gives an instruction to end the display of the EPG screen,the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 executes again the screen layoutcontrol in accordance with the descriptive contents of the LCT.

By performing the control described above, the EPG screen can bedisplayed in a large size and easiness to see the EPG screen can beimproved, compared to the case where the EPG screen is displayed whilemaintaining the control of screen layout region as shown in (B) of FIG.18A.

Note that the exceptional process of the screen layout control isapplied not only to the case of displaying the EPG screen but also tothe case of displaying sub-screens of various setting screens (timerrecording setting screen in the example of (A) of FIG. 18B) ordisplaying dual screens in the broadcast receiving apparatus 100, asshown in FIG. 18B.

In the case of the timer recording setting screen shown in (A) of FIG.18B, a display area of broadcasting contents is shifted from thefull-screen region to a sub-screen region on the right bottom corner ofthe screen. In the case of the dual screen display shown in (B) of FIG.18B, the display area of broadcasting contents is shifted from thefull-screen region to a divided screen region in the middle left side ofthe screen. In both cases, since the display area for displayingbroadcasting contents is narrowed, compared to the case of using theentire screen, it is not preferable to maintain the control of screenlayout region in the display area (that is, a plurality of broadcastingcontents is kept displayed simultaneously in divided regions) from theviewpoint of offering fine visibility. For this reason, in theabove-described situation, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of thepresent embodiment selects the broadcasting contents of the “region 0”and displays only the selected contents in the display area. Note thatthe broadcasting contents of the “region 1” or “region 2” may beselected and displayed depending on a region selection state rightbefore the selection.

By performing the control described above, the easiness to see thebroadcasting contents can be improved, compared to the case wherevarious broadcasting contents are displayed while maintaining thecontrol of screen layout region. The same applies also to the cases ofdisplaying a sub-screen for a timer recording program list, displayinginternet contents on a browser, and others.

[Aspect Ratio Converting Process of Video Signal]

In an aspect ratio for a video signal in television broadcastingservice, there are “21:9” suitable for movie contents and the like inaddition to “4:3” that has been used in conventional SDTV and “16:9”that is being used in recent HDTV. In the broadcasting system accordingto the present embodiment, information on the aspect ratio of the videosignal may be described by the video component descriptor. FIG. 19Ashows one example of a data structure of the video component descriptor.In FIG. 19A, a “video_aspect_ratio” parameter is information regardingthe aspect ratio of the video signal. FIG. 19B shows one example ofmeanings of the “video_aspect_ratio” parameter. A different aspect ratiofrom those shown in FIG. 19B may further be assigned.

On the other hand, an aspect ratio of a display unit for televisionreceiver (the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment or the like) that can receive the television broadcastingservice is generally “16:9”. Namely, when video contents whose aspectratio is “4:3” or “21:9” are to be displayed on a common televisionreceiver, an aspect ratio converting process may be executed.

Whether the aspect ratio converting process is to be executed or not maybe determined by comparing specification of the monitor unit 162 in thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 with the “video_aspect_ratio”parameter of the video component descriptor. For example, in a casewhere the aspect ratio of the monitor unit 162 in the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 is “16:9” (3840 horizontal pixels×2160 verticalpixels, or the like) and a value of the “video_aspect_ratio” parameteris “0”, “2”, or “3”, the aspect ratio converting process may not beexecuted. On the other hand, in a case where the aspect ratio is “16:9”and the value of the “video_aspect_ratio” parameter is “1” or “5”, theaspect ratio converting process may be executed. Further, for example,in a case where the aspect ratio of the monitor unit 162 in thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 is “21:9” (5040 horizontal pixels×2160vertical pixels, or the like) and the value of the “video_aspect_ratio”parameter is “0” or “5”, the aspect ratio converting process may not beexecuted. On the other hand, in a case where the aspect ratio is “21:9”and the value of the “video_aspect_ratio” parameter is “1”, “2”, or “3”,the aspect ratio converting process may be executed.

FIG. 19C and FIG. 19D show one example of the aspect ratio convertingprocess in a case where the aspect ratio of the monitor unit 162 in thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 is “16:9” and the value of the“video_aspect_ratio” parameter is “5”. In a case where video contentswith an aspect ratio of “21:9” are displayed on the monitor unit 162with an aspect ratio of “16:9”, the aspect ratio may be converted into“16:9” by adding black zones to upper and lower portions of the videocontents with the aspect ratio of “21:9” (display A in FIG. 19C). Inthis manner, the whole area of original video contents can be displayedwithout distortion. Further, by capturing only a central portion of thevideo contents with the aspect ratio of “21:9”, the captured centralportion may be displayed on the monitor unit 162 (display B in FIG.19C). In this manner, a main portion of the original video contents canbe enlarged and displayed. Further, the central portion may further becaptured by somewhat adding black zones to the upper and lower portionsof the video contents with the aspect ratio of “21:9” (display C in FIG.19C). In this manner, the most portion of the original video contentscan be enlarged and displayed. Further, the whole area may be displayedby compressing right and left end portions of the video contents withthe aspect ratio of “21:9” (display D in FIG. 19D). In this manner, thewhole area of the original video contents can be enlarged, and the mainportion thereof can further be displayed without distortion. Further,the whole area may be displayed by somewhat adding black zones to theupper and lower portions of the video contents with the aspect ratio of“21:9” and further compressing the right and left end portions thereof(display E in FIG. 19D). In this manner, the whole area of the originalvideo contents can be enlarged and displayed with small distortion ofthe right and left end portions thereof.

The user may be allowed to select how the aspect ratio convertingprocess is to be executed by settings of a menu or the like.Alternatively, it may be switched by pressing a predetermined key of theremote controller or the like. Note that the aspect ratio of “21:9”described above contains ones whose aspect ratio substantially becomes“21:9” such as “2.35:1” for a so-called cinema scope. The numericalvalues of other aspect ratios are also similar.

[Display of EPG in Broadcast Receiving Apparatus]

In the broadcasting system of the present embodiment, time-seriesinformation related to events (so-called programs) included in servicesmaking up the broadcasting network is transmitted in the form of MH-EIT.The MH-EIT shown in FIG. 7E is classified into two classes by a table ID(corresponding to a “table_id” parameter in FIG. 7E), and can provideinformation of the current and next events in its own TLV stream andschedule information of events in its own TLV stream. The broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment refers to the MH-EITand others to identity a service with a service ID (corresponding to the“service_id” parameter in FIG. 7E), thereby acquiring information of thestart time, broadcasting time, and the like of each event to create anEPG screen. Further, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 can displaythe created EPG screen on the monitor unit 162 by superposing it onvideo information and others in the video synthesizing unit 161.

FIG. 20A is a diagram showing one example of an EPG screen in thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment. An EPGscreen 162 a has a matrix form with the vertical axis representing timeand the horizontal axis representing service IDs (channels), anddisplays detailed information of broadcasting programs to be broadcastedin each channel in each time zone. Further, detailed information 162 a 1of each broadcasting program is composed mainly of a title region 162 a2 and a detail description region 162 a 3. Program information and thelike described in an MH-short format event descriptor or an MH-extensionformat event descriptor and distributed may be displayed in the detailedinformation 162 a 1 of each broadcasting program. In a case where volumeof the program information and the like described in each of thedescriptors is large, abbreviated display may be executed during anormal time, and the whole program information may be displayed bypop-up at the time of selection by an operation of the remote controller(not shown in the drawings). Alternatively, at the time of theselection, the program information and the like described in each of thedescriptors may be transmitted to the portable information terminal 700that is being cooperated with the broadcast receiving apparatus 100, andthe portable information terminal 700 may be instructed so as to displaythem on the display unit 741.

In the title region 162 a 2 in the detailed information 162 a 1 of eachof the broadcasting programs, symbols and others expressing the titleand properties of the broadcasting program are displayed. The symbolsand others expressing the properties of the broadcasting program are,for example, symbols/characters indicating that the broadcasting programis a new program or rerun program, or may be a mark or the like standingfor “data” indicating that the program supports data broadcasting by abroadcasting service, or may be a mark 162 a 4 or the like standing for“NetWork” indicating that contents, applications, and others related tothe broadcasting program can be acquired through the network. Inaddition, the symbols and others expressing the properties of thebroadcasting program may be substituted by differentiating thebackground color of the detailed information 162 a 1 from others orenclosing the display region of the detailed information 162 a 1 with athick line.

Note that, even when control information (messages, tables, descriptors,etc.) in the broadcasting system of the present embodiment indicatesthat contents, applications, and others related to the broadcastingprogram can be acquired through the network, if access to server deviceson the network cannot be made for such a reason that a LAN cable is notconnected to the LAN communication unit 121 of the broadcast receivingapparatus 100, the screen may be controlled so as not to display themark 162 a 4 or the like standing for “NetWork”.

In addition, when the broadcasting program is a network-distributionprogram distributed through the Internet 200 and therefore cannot beacquired from broadcast waves, and further the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 cannot access server devices on the network like in thecase described above, the screen may be controlled so that a region ofdetailed information 162 b 1 displayed on an EPG screen 162 b is grayedout as shown in FIG. 20B. Namely, the screen is controlled so as not todisplay detailed information of a network-distribution program that theuser is not allowed to view. Alternatively, the gray-out process may besubstituted by differentiating the background color of the detailedinformation 162 b 1 from others. Alternatively, a message such as “Thisprogram cannot be viewed” may be displayed in the detail descriptionregion 162 a 3 of the network-distribution program. It is also possibleto notify the user that the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 isincapable of accessing server devices on the network or the user is notallowed to view a network-distribution program associated with thedetailed information 162 b 1, by a popup message or the like when theuser operates the remote controller (not shown) to select the detailedinformation 162 b 1.

Through the control described above, the broadcast receiving apparatus100 can provide the user with information of broadcasting programs in aform that does not give any sense of discomfort to the user inaccordance with the network connection state.

FIG. 20C is a diagram showing another example of the EPG screen in thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment. In FIG.20C, “M1 television”, “M2 broadcasting”, “M3 channel”, “M4 TV”,“Television M5”, and others are the names of broadcast stations ofrespective channels, and the “M2 broadcasting” station providesbroadcasting programs distributed through broadcast waves as well asnetwork-distribution programs (information 162 c 1 indicated in a columnof “network broadcasting” in FIG. 20C) distributed through the Internet200 at the same time.

As shown in FIG. 20C, when a channel that provides only thenetwork-distribution programs distributed through the Internet 200 ispresent, the screen is usually controlled to display the information ofall the channels (including the information 162 c 1) as shown by an EPGscreen 162 c in (A) of FIG. 20C. On the other hand, in the case wherethe broadcast receiving apparatus 100 cannot access server devices onthe network or the like, the screen may be controlled so as not todisplay information of the channel of “M2 broadcasting (networkbroadcasting)” that provides only the network-distribution programsdistributed through the Internet 200 (information 162 c 1 in (A) of FIG.20C) as shown by an EPG screen 162 d in (B) of FIG. 20C.

Through the control described above, it becomes unnecessary for the userof the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 to check the information of achannel that provides programs that the user is not allowed to view.

[Display of Emergency Warning Broadcasting in Broadcast ReceivingApparatus]

The broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment canperform a process of receiving emergency warning broadcasting when anemergency warning broadcasting start control signal bit of a TMCCsignal, which is included in transmission data including a TLV stream,changes from “0” to “1”.

The emergency warning broadcasting may be provided as a broadcastingprogram of a dedicated channel (service ID), or may be provided as anapplication that displays a warning message on the full-screen scale ormay be provided as character information in the form of a captionmessage. It is preferable that the character information in the form ofa caption message is displayed regardless of the condition of thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 just before reception of the emergencywarning broadcasting in a case where the emergency warning broadcastingis provided as character information in the form of a caption message.Namely, as shown in FIG. 21, when the broadcast receiving apparatus 100receives emergency warning broadcasting in a state where the user viewsa regular broadcasting program by watching a program screen 162 e of thebroadcasting program displayed on the monitor unit 162, characterinformation 162 e 1 by the emergency warning broadcasting is superposedand displayed on the program screen 162 e. In the same manner, when thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 receives emergency warningbroadcasting in a state where an EPG screen 162 f is displayed on themonitor unit 162 in accordance with an instruction given by the user todisplay the EPG screen, character information 162 f 1 by the emergencywarning broadcasting is superposed and displayed on the EPG screen 162f.

Through the control described above, even when the user selects an EPGscreen, a setting screen, a timer recording program list screen, or aninternet browser screen and causes the broadcast receiving apparatus 100to display such a screen, it is possible to avoid overlooking importantcharacter information based on the received emergency warningbroadcasting. Note that this control may be performed for the characterinformation of an ordinary caption other than the emergency warningbroadcasting.

Further, in a case where the emergency warning broadcasting is providedas the broadcasting program of the dedicated channel (service ID), thechannel (service ID) for the emergency warning broadcasting may beselected automatically regardless of a channel (service ID) of acurrently viewing program. Further, in a case where the emergencywarning broadcasting is provided as the broadcasting program of thededicated channel (service ID) or an application, the broadcastingprogram of the emergency warning broadcasting or the application may bedistributed to external mobile terminal equipment that is cooperatedwith the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 (in the present embodiment,the portable information terminal 700 and the like) by means of controlof the cooperating function executing unit 1103.

Further, in a case where a power source for the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 is not turned on at the time of delivery of the emergencywarning broadcasting, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 may executecontrol to turn on the power source thereof automatically.Alternatively, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 may execute controlso that notification that the emergency warning broadcasting is startedis transmitted to the portable information terminal 700 that has ahistory of a cooperated operation with the broadcast receiving apparatus100.

In the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentinvention, the control described above allows to avoid the user fromoverlooking display of a video of an important broadcasting program orapplication based on the emergency warning broadcasting.

[Exceptional Process of Display Control]

The broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment may execute an exceptional process as follows in a case wheredata transmitted through a path other than the TLV stream of each ofdata constituting the same package cannot be acquired, for example.

As described above with reference to FIG. 7A, in the broadcasting systemcompatible with the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to thepresent embodiment, data acquired from the TLV stream and data acquiredfrom a path other than the TLV stream can be contained in the samepackage on the basis of the location information stored in the MPT (seeFIG. 7C). However, data transmitted through a data transmission pathother than the TLV stream, which is indicated by the locationinformation, (for example, the IPv4 data flow or the IPv6 data flow ofthe communication line, MPEG2-TS for broadcast, or the like) are datathat are acquired by other receiving function than the receivingfunction for the TLV/MMT streams. Therefore, even though the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 is operating, there are situations that datacannot be acquired through these transmission paths, such as a situationthat the receiving function of these transmission paths does notoperate, a situation that the receiving function itself is operating buta relay apparatus or the like on the transmission path does not operate,a situation that wired or wireless connection of these transmissionpaths is not made, or a situation that the broadcast receiving apparatus100 is installed in an environment that these transmission paths cannotbe connected at all.

Under such a situation, in a case where an event indicating that thelocation information stored in the MPT is associated so as to containthe data acquired from the TLV stream and the data acquired from thepath other than the TLV stream in the same package is received, thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the present embodimentmay execute operations as follows.

For example, in a case where the LCT sets a plurality of regions in ascreen as shown in FIG. 17D and FIG. 17E and is associated so thatprogram video based on the data acquired from the TLV stream isdisplayed in “region 0” and contents based on the data acquired from thetransmission path other than the TLV stream are displayed in “region 1”and/or “region 2” and the data to be displayed in “region 1” and/or“region 2” cannot be acquired through the transmission path other thanthe TLV stream, layout display of plural regions specified by the LCTmay be prohibited. Specifically, even though the LCT is received, astate that the program video based on the data acquired from the TLVstream is displayed in “region 0” of the default layout display shown inFIG. 17C may be held, and the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 may notshift to layout display for plural regions as shown in FIG. 17D or FIG.17E. Further, even though a change instruction from the default layoutto the layout indicated by the LCT is further inputted into theoperation input unit 170 of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 inthis state, the default layout display shown in FIG. 17C may be held, orthe broadcast receiving apparatus 100 may not shift to the layoutdisplay for the plural regions as shown in FIG. 17D or FIG. 17E byswitching to another data broadcasting screen.

Further, as another operation example in a case where the LCT sets aplurality of regions in a screen as shown in FIG. 17D and FIG. 17E andis associated so that program video based on the data acquired from theTLV stream is displayed in “region 0” and contents based on the dataacquired from the transmission path other than the TLV stream aredisplayed in “region 1” and/or “region 2” and the data to be displayedin “region 1” and/or “region 2” cannot be acquired through thetransmission path other than the TLV stream, a display frame of theplural regions indicated by the LCT as shown in FIG. 17D or FIG. 17E maybe displayed temporarily, and the background color or a predeterminedstill image may be displayed in “region 1” or “region 2”. In a casewhere the data cannot be acquired through the transmission path otherthan the TLV stream indicated by the location information of the MPTeven though a given time elapses, display switching to return to thestate of the default layout display shown in FIG. 17C may be executed.In this case, it is preferable that at the time of change from thelayout shown in FIG. 17C to the layout shown in FIG. 17D or FIG. 17E andat the time of change from the layout shown in FIG. 17D or FIG. 17E tothe layout shown in FIG. 17C, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100operates so that the program video based on the data acquired from theTLV stream is continuously displayed in “region 0” of each of thelayouts. This is because viewing of the program video by the user can becontinued.

Further, when the data to be displayed in “region 1” or “region 2”cannot be acquired through the transmission path other than the TLVstream and it thereby becomes a state that the program video based onthe data acquired from the TLV stream is displayed in “region 0” of thedefault layout display shown in FIG. 17C, by starting operations ofvarious communicating functions or various receiving functions in thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment orchanging a communication environment and/or a communication situation ofthe various communication function or a reception environment and/or areception situation of the various receiving function, the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 may become a situation that the data to bedisplayed in “region 1” or “region 2” can be acquired through thetransmission path other than the TLV stream. In this case, the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment mayimmediately switch from the default layout display shown in FIG. 17C tothe layout of the plural regions indicated by the LCT as shown in FIG.17D or FIG. 17E. Further, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 mayswitch so that the program video based on the data acquired from the TLVstream is displayed in “region 0” and the contents based on the dataacquired from the transmission path other than the TLV stream aredisplayed in “region 1” or “region 2”. Alternatively, the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 may not execute the layout change immediately,and may execute the layout change after the change instruction from thedefault layout to the layout indicated by the LCT is inputted from theoperation input unit 170. In this case, it is preferable to inform theuser that the layout change becomes possible by means of OSD display orthe like.

[Copyright Protecting Function]

In the digital broadcasting system compatible with the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, bytransmitting the copy control information so as to be contained in theMPT or the like, a copy control state for contents to which the MPT orthe like refers may be indicated. The copy control state includes“freely copiable” (which may be divided into two types such as “freelycopiable and requiring an encrypting process at the time of accumulationand output” and “freely copiable and not requiring the encryptingprocess at the time of accumulation and output”), “copiable only for onegeneration”, “copiable given times” (for example, a so-called “dubbing10” if copiable nine times+allowing move once), and “copy prohibition”,for example. In this case, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100according to the present embodiment may be configured so as to control,in accordance with the copy control information, an accumulating processof the contents to the storage (accumulation) unit 110, a recordingprocess to a removable recording medium, an outputting process toexternal equipment, a copying process to external equipment, a movingprocess to external equipment, and the like.

Note that a target of the accumulating process may include not only thestorage (accumulation) unit 110 in the broadcast receiving apparatus100, but also the removable recording medium and the external equipmentthat is subjected to a protecting process such as the encrypting processso that contents accumulated therein can be reproduced only by thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100. Specifically, for example, one set toa state that the one can be recorded or reproduced only by the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 among external recording apparatuses such as anHDD connected to the extension interface unit 124 is included.

<Contents Copy Control>

A concrete example of a process of contents copy control based on thecopy control information will be described below.

First, in a case where the copy control information contained in the MPTor the like indicates “freely copiable”, the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 according to the present embodiment may execute theaccumulating process to the storage (accumulation) unit 110, therecording process to a removable recording medium, the outputtingprocess to external equipment, the copying process to externalequipment, the moving process to external equipment, and the likewithout any limitation. However, in a case where the control based onthe copy control information is divided into “freely copiable andrequiring an encrypting process at the time of accumulation and output”and “freely copiable and not requiring the encrypting process at thetime of accumulation and output” and indicates “freely copiable andrequiring an encrypting process at the time of accumulation and output”,the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 can execute the accumulatingprocess to the storage (accumulation) unit 110, the recording process toa removable recording medium, the outputting process to externalequipment, the copying process to external equipment, and the movingprocess to external equipment without any limitation, but it isnecessary to apply the encrypting process to the target in any case.

Further, in a case where the copy control information contained in theMPT or the like indicates “copiable only for one generation”, thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the present embodimentmay be allowed to execute an accumulating process to the storage(accumulation) unit 110 after encryption, and a recording process to aremovable recording medium that is subjected to the protecting processsuch as the encrypting process so that contents can be reproduced onlyby the broadcast receiving apparatus 100. Further, in a case wherecontents after accumulation is outputted to external equipment forviewing, the contents are encrypted and outputted together with the copycontrol information of “copy prohibition”. Further, the so-called movingprocess to external equipment (a process of copying the contents toexternal equipment, and disenabling reproduction by a deleting processof the contents from the storage (accumulation) unit 110 or the like ofthe broadcast receiving apparatus 100) can be executed.

Further, in a case where the copy control information contained in theMPT or the like indicates “copiable given times”, the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment may beallowed to execute the accumulating process to the storage(accumulation) unit 110 after encryption, and the recording process tothe removable recording medium that is subjected to the protectingprocess such as the encrypting process so that contents can bereproduced only by the broadcast receiving apparatus 100. Further, in acase where contents after accumulation is outputted to externalequipment for viewing, the contents are encrypted and outputted togetherwith the copy control information of “copy prohibition”. Further, thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 may be allowed to execute the copyingprocess and the moving process to external equipment the predeterminednumber of times defined in advance. In a case where a so-called “dubbing10” is defined, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 can execute thecopying process to external equipment nine times and the moving processto external equipment once.

Further, in a case where the copy control information contained in theMPT or the like indicates “copy prohibition”, the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 according to the present embodiment prohibits the contentsfrom being accumulated (or copied) to the storage (accumulation) unit110 or the like. However, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 may beconfigured so as to have a “temporary accumulation” mode in which thecontents can be held to the storage (accumulation) unit 110 or the likeonly for a given time defined in advance or a given time specified bythe control information (for example, by the MH-Expire descriptor, thecontents usage control descriptor, or the like) contained inbroadcasting signal. In this case, even in a case where the copy controlinformation contained in the MPT or the like indicates “copyprohibition”, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 can temporarily holdthe contents to the storage (accumulation) unit 110 or the like. In acase where the contents, for which the copy control informationcontained in the MPT or the like indicates “copy prohibition”, are to beoutputted to external equipment for viewing, the contents are encryptedand outputted together with the copy control information for “copyprohibition”.

Note that output to external equipment for viewing described above maybe executed through the video output unit 163 and the audio output unit166 of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment, or via the digital interface unit 125, the LAN communicationunit 121, and the like. The copying process or the moving process toexternal equipment described above may be executed via the digitalinterface unit 125, the LAN communication unit 121, and the like.

FIG. 22A shows one example of a data structure of the contents copycontrol descriptor in the broadcasting system according to the presentembodiment. In FIG. 22A, a “digital_recording_control_data” parameter isdigital copy control information, and indicates information forcontrolling copy generation of contents. Further,

FIG. 22B shows one example of parameter values of the digital copycontrol information and their meanings. For example, in a case where theparameter is “00”, it indicates “freely copiable”. Ina case where theparameter is “01”, definition by the provider is allowed. In a casewhere the parameter is “10”, it indicates “copiable only for onegeneration”. In a case where the parameter is “11”, it indicates “copyprohibition”. Further, FIG. 23 shows one example of a data structure ofthe contents usage control descriptor in the broadcasting systemaccording to the present embodiment. A “copy_restriction_mode” parameterin FIG. 23 is a copy restriction mode, and indicates whether copy forwhich the number of copies is restricted can be executed or not.

In the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentinvention, in a case where the digital copy control information is “01”,the accumulating process in which copy can be executed the predeterminednumber of times defined by a broadcaster in advance can be executed.Alternatively, in a case where the digital copy control information isnot “11” and the copy restriction mode indicates that the copy for whichthe number of copies is restricted is allowed, the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 may be allowed to execute the accumulating process inwhich copy can be executed the predetermined number of times defined bythe broadcaster in advance. Alternatively, in this case, the number ofcopiable times for each content may be specified by using a part or allof a “reserved_future_use” parameter in a digital contents usagedescriptor.

Through the process described above, the broadcast receiving apparatus100 according to the present embodiment can realize the contents copycontrol for the “copiable given times” described above.

Further, in a case where a “retention_mode” parameter in the contentsusage control descriptor shown in FIG. 23 is a temporary accumulationcontrol bit and the digital copy control information indicates “copyprohibition”, the “retention_mode” parameter indicates whether temporaryaccumulation of target content is permitted or not. Further, a“retention_state” parameter is a temporary accumulation permissibletime, and indicates the temporary accumulation permissible time in acase where the temporary accumulation permissible bit permits thetemporary accumulation of the target content.

In the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentinvention, by referring information on each of the temporaryaccumulation control bit and the temporary accumulation permissibletime, advisability of the temporary accumulation in a case where thedigital copy control information of each content indicates “copyprohibition” and an accumulation time thereof can be controlled.

According to the processes described above, proper content protectioncan be achieved in accordance with the copy control informationcorrelated with contents.

<Contents Output Control>

Next, a concrete example of a process of output control of contents toexternal equipment will be described below.

In the contents usage control descriptor shown in FIG. 23, an“image_constraint_token” parameter is a resolution limit bit, andindicates that image quality limit is to be required or not whencontents are outputted to external equipment. In a case where theresolution limit bit indicates that the image quality limit is to berequired, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment executes the image quality limit for the target content whenthe target content is outputted to external equipment. Note that theimage quality limit may not be required when the target content isaccumulated to the storage (accumulation) unit 110 or the like. In theimage quality limit, for example, received (or accumulated) UHD (7680pixels×4320 pixels) video contents are converted into SHD (3840pixels×2160 pixels) video and then outputted, or an HD (1920 pixels×1080pixels) video is converted into an SD (640 pixels×480 pixels) video andthen outputted. Note that to what extent should the image quality limitof the target content be executed, that is, to what resolution an imagequality of the target content is converted after the image quality limitmay be specified by using a part or all of the “reserved_future_use”parameter of the digital contents usage descriptor.

In the similar manner as described above, for example, a frame ratelimit bit or a pixel resolution power limit bit may be prepared by usinga part or all of the “reserved_future_use” parameter, and limit of aframe rate or limit of pixel resolution power may be controlled when thecontents are outputted to external equipment. In a case where the framerate limit bit indicates that the limit of the frame rate is required,the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment executes the limit of the frame rate of the target contentwhen the target content is outputted to the external equipment. Forexample, video contents with a frame rate of 120 Hz are converted intocontents with a frame rate of 60 Hz, and then outputted. Further, in acase where the pixel resolution power limit bit indicates that the limitof the pixel resolution power is required, the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 according to the present embodiment executes the limit ofresolution power of each pixel of the target content when the targetcontent is outputted to the external equipment. For example, each pixelof video contents in which each pixel is constituted by 12 bits isconverted into 8 bits, and then outputted.

Moreover, a resolution limit control flag, a frame rate limit controlflag or a pixel resolution power limit control flag may be prepared byusing a part or all of the “reserved_future_use” parameter, and whetherthe image quality limit, the frame rate limit or the pixel resolutionpower limit is to be executed or not may be controlled in accordancewith the resolution limit control flag, the frame rate limit controlflag, or the pixel resolution power limit control flag. For example,control may be executed so that the image quality limit is not executedin a case where the resolution limit control flag indicates thatresolution limit control is executed in accordance with interfacespecification and an interface through which the target content isoutputted includes a predetermined content protection technology. On theother hand, the control may be executed so that the image quality limitis executed in a case where the interface does not include thepredetermined content protection technology in such a situation.

Specifically, for example, in a case where the digital interface unit125 is an HDMI interface and the target content is outputted to externalequipment connected to the HDMI interface and an HDMI interface includedin the external equipment is compliant with HDCP (High-bandwidth DigitalContent Protection) since version 2.2, the image quality limit is notexecuted, but output of the target content is executed. On the otherhand, in a case where the version of HDCP of the HDMI interface in theexternal equipment is before 2.2 in such a situation, the image qualitylimit is executed, and the output of the target content is alsoexecuted. Namely, whether the image quality limit for the target contentis to be executed or not may be controlled in accordance with whetherthe interface through which the target content is outputted includes thepredetermined content protection technology defined in advance or not.Alternatively, in a case where the interface includes the contentprotection technology, whether the image quality limit for the targetcontent is to be executed or not may be controlled in accordance withthe version of the content protection technology. In a case where theresolution limit control flag does not indicate that the resolutionlimit control is to be executed in accordance with the interfacespecification, presence or absence of the image quality limit may becontrolled in accordance with only the resolution limit bit. Withrespect to the frame rate limit control flag or the pixel resolutionpower limit control flag, the similar processes thereto may be executed.

Further, the copying process of the contents for which the copy controlinformation described above indicates copy limitations such as “copiableonly for one generation”, “copiable given times”, and “copy prohibition”to external equipment through the LAN communication unit 121 may beallowed only when the IP address of the external equipment which is thedestination of a transmission packet sent from the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 is present in the same subnet as the IP address of thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100, and may be prohibited when the IPaddress of the external equipment is outside the subnet in which the IPaddress of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 is present. The sameapplies also to the case of the contents for which the copy controlinformation indicates “freely copiable and requiring encoding processupon storage and output”.

Similarly, the moving process, the copying process, and the like toexternal equipment through the LAN communication unit 121 after storingthe contents for which the copy control information described aboveindicates copy limitations such as “copiable only for one generation”,“copiable given times”, and “freely copiable and requiring encodingprocess upon storage and output” temporarily in the storage(accumulation) unit 110 may be allowed only when the IP address of theexternal equipment which is the destination of a transmission packetsent from the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 is present in the samesubnet as the IP address of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100, andmay be prohibited when the IP address of the external equipment isoutside the subnet in which the IP address of the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 is present.

Further, video and audio output for viewing contents stored in thestorage (accumulation) unit 110 of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100is allowed in principle only when the IP address of the externalequipment which is the destination of a transmission packet sent fromthe broadcast receiving apparatus 100 is present in the same subnet asthe IP address of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100, and the outputis prohibited when the IP address of the external equipment is outsidethe subnet in which the IP address of the broadcast receiving apparatus100 is present. However, when the external equipment is connected withina given period in the subnet in which the IP address of the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 is present and is registered (by paring) asequipment allowed to view the contents even outside the subnet in whichthe IP address of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 is present,video and audio output for viewing the contents stored in the storage(accumulation) unit 110 of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 to theexternal equipment may be allowed even when the IP address of theexternal equipment is outside the subnet in which the IP address of thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 is present. In this case, the videoand audio output for viewing the contents is performed by encoding thecontents.

However, the encrypting process may be controlled in accordance with avalue of an “encryption_mode” parameter in the contents usage controldescriptor shown in FIG. 23. Namely, in a case where the value of the“encryption_mode” parameter indicates that output protection for IPinterface output is required, the encrypting process may be executed. Onthe other hand, in a case where it indicates that the output protectionfor the IP interface output is not required, video output and audiooutput for the viewing may be executed without executing the encryptingprocess. Alternatively, in a case where the value of the“encryption_mode” parameter indicates that the output protection for theIP interface output is required, a range of the IP address of theexternal equipment in which the video output and the audio output forthe viewing can be executed without being subjected to the encryptingprocess may be specified by using apart or all of the“reserved_future_use” parameter of the contents usage controldescriptor. Namely, with respect to the predetermined IP address definedin advance, even though the IP address is not positioned in the samesubnet as the IP address of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100, it ispossible to execute the video output and the audio output for theviewing.

Further, by using a part or all of the “reserved_future_use” parameterof the contents usage control descriptor, a period of time in which aregistering process (pairing) becomes effective may be specified. Inthis case, in a case where date and time when the registering process(pairing) for external equipment was executed are within the specifiedperiod of time, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 may control sothat video output and audio output for viewing are permitted withrespect to the external equipment even though the external equipment ispositioned outside the same subnet of the IP address of the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100. Ina case where the date and time are outsidethe specified period of time, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 maycontrol so that they are not permitted.

Further, the moving process, the copying process, the outputting processand the like of contents to external equipment through the LANcommunication unit 121 as described above may be controlled inaccordance with a value of a “remote view mode” parameter in thecontents usage control descriptor. Namely, in a case where the value ofthe “remote_view_mode” parameter indicates that remote viewing of thetarget content is not permitted, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100may control so that all of the moving process, the copying process, theoutputting process and the like of contents to the external equipmentthrough the LAN communication unit 121 are prohibited.

According to the processes described above, it is possible to realizeappropriate content protection when the contents are outputted to theexternal equipment.

<First Exceptional Process of Contents Copy Control>

In the data structure of the contents copy control descriptor shown inFIG. 22A, first digital copy control information (the“digital_recording_control_data” parameter positioned immediately after“descriptor length”) is control information for copy generationregarding the whole contents, while second digital copy controlinformation (the “digital_recording_control_data” parameter positionedimmediately after “component_tag”) is control information for copygeneration regarding each of components constituting the contents. Notethat specification of each of the components is made by a “componenttag” parameter.

In the broadcasting system according to the present embodiment, in acase where control of copy generation of the whole contents (program) isexecuted, only the first digital copy control information is describedin the contents copy control descriptor, and the control of the copygeneration is executed by the first digital copy control information. Onthe other hand, in a case where the control of the copy generation isexecuted for each of components constituting the contents, both thefirst digital copy control information and the second digital copycontrol information are described in the contents copy controldescriptor, and the control of the copy generation is executed.Moreover, in a case where the control of the copy generation is executedfor each of components constituting the contents, a situation is thoughtthat the first digital copy control information described in thecontents copy control descriptor does not coincide with description ofthe second digital copy control information. In the situation describedabove, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment may execute operations as described below.

First, a first operation example is a method of executing control sothat the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 operates on the basis of copygeneration control indicated by the first digital copy controlinformation in a case where description of the first digital copycontrol information does not coincide with description of the seconddigital copy control information. In this case, simple copy generationcontrol common to each of components constituting the same contentsbecomes possible.

Next, a second operation example is a method of executing control sothat the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 operates on the basis of copygeneration control indicated by the second digital copy controlinformation in a case where the description of the first digital copycontrol information does not coincide with the description of the seconddigital copy control information. In this case, different copygeneration control can be made for each of the components even thoughthe components are components constituting the same contents, that is,more precise copy generation control becomes possible.

Moreover, a third operation example is a method of executing control sothat the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 operates on the basis ofdigital copy control information having a stricter condition of twodifferent types of digital copy control information in a case where thedescription of the first digital copy control information does notcoincide with the description of the second digital copy controlinformation. For example, in a case where one is “freely copiable” andthe other is “copiable only for one generation”, the operation is madein accordance with information with “copiable only for one generation”.Alternatively, in a case where one is “copiable given times” and theother is “copy prohibition”, the operation is made in accordance withinformation with “copy prohibition”. Alternatively, in a case where bothare “copiable given times”, the operation is made in accordance withinformation for which the number of copiable times, which is separatelyspecified, is smaller. In this case, it is possible to control copygeneration more exactly.

By executing the processes described above, in the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 according to the present invention, it becomes possible tosuitably operate even in a case where two different types of digitalcopy control information are described in the contents copy controldescriptor.

<Second Exceptional Process of Contents Copy Control>

As described above by using FIG. 7A, in the digital broadcasting systemcompatible with the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the presentembodiment, data that is acquired from a path (IPv4, IPv6, MPEG2-TS,URL, etc.) different from data that is acquired from a TLV stream of thebroadcasting path may be included in the same package and the same eventas the data that is acquired from the TLV stream based on the locationinformation (see FIG. 7C) in the MTP or the like. The content protectionthat is performed when copy control information is included in the MPTin this case will be described.

First, when copy control information is included in the MPT or the like,data that is included in the same package and the same event based onthe location information may be controlled in accordance with the copycontrol information included in the TLV stream even if the data isacquired from a path (IPv4, IPv6, MPEG2-TS, URL, etc.) different fromdata that is acquired from a TLV stream of the broadcasting path. Asdescribed above, the copy control states of contents specified by thecopy control information include “freely copiable” (which may be dividedinto two types such as “freely copiable and requiring encoding processupon storage and output” and “freely copiable and not requiring encodingprocess upon storage and output”), “copiable only for one generation”,“copiable given times” (e.g., a so-called “dubbing 10” if copiable ninetimes+allowing move once), and “copy prohibition”.

Herein, if data location indicated by the location information includesMPEG2-TS data transmitted by a different digital broadcasting signal,the transmitted MPEG2-TS data is correlated with copy controlinformation also in the different digital broadcasting signal.Accordingly, a problem arises as to in what way and in accordance withwhich information the copy control of the MPEG2-TS data should beperformed (which of the copy control information included in the TLV/MMTstream and the copy control information included in the MPEG2-TS shouldbe referred to in performing copy control).

In the digital broadcasting system of the present embodiment, thisproblem can be solved by performing any one of the following operationsin the broadcast receiving apparatus 100.

First Operation Example

In a first operation example, when copy control information is includedin the MPT or the like and data that is included in the same package andthe same event based on the location information includes MPEG2-TS datatransmitted by a different digital broadcasting signal, priority isgiven to a copy control state indicated by the copy control informationincluded in the TLV stream over a copy control state indicated by thecopy control information included in the MPEG2-TS in performing copycontrol.

For example, when the copy control state indicated by the copy controlinformation included in the TLV stream is “copiable only for onegeneration” while the copy control state indicated by the copy controlinformation included in the MPEG2-TS is “copiable given times”, even thedata acquired from a path (digital broadcasting in the MPEG2-TStransmission format) different from the data acquired from the TLVstream may be subjected to copy control as the data contents of“copiable only for one generation”. For example, when the copy controlstate indicated by the copy control information included in the TLVstream is “freely copiable” while the copy control state indicated bythe copy control information included in the MPEG2-TS is “copiable giventimes”, even the data acquired from a path (digital broadcasting in theMPEG2-TS transmission format) different from the data acquired from theTLV stream may be subjected to copy control as the data contents of“freely copiable”.

By this operation, data acquired from a path other than the TLV streamcan also be put in a copy control state desired in the broadcastingsystem compatible with the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of thepresent embodiment.

Second Operation Example

In a second operation example, when copy control information is includedin the MPT or the like and data that is included in the same package andthe same event based on the location information includes MPEG2-TS datatransmitted by a different digital broadcasting signal, a copy controlstate indicated by the copy control information included in the TLVstream is compared with a copy control state indicated by the copycontrol information included in the MPEG2-TS, and if the copy controlstate indicated by the copy control information included in the MPEG2-TSis severer than the copy control state indicated by the copy controlinformation included in the TLV stream, the MPEG2-TS data is excludedfrom contents to be processed when performing the storing process to thestorage (accumulation) unit 110, recording process on the removablerecoding medium, or outputting process from the digital interface.

By this operation, with respect to the data acquired from the path otherthan the TLV stream, the original copy control information of the dataset in the broadcasting system in which the data is transmitted is takeninto account, and also the redundant copy control states on thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can beeliminated.

Further, if the copy control state indicated by the copy controlinformation included in the MPEG2-TS is identical to or less severe thanthe copy control state indicated by the copy control informationincluded in the TLV stream as a result of the above comparison, theMPEG2-TS data that is included in the same package and the same eventbased on the location information may be subjected to copy control ascontents in the copy control state indicated by the copy controlinformation included in the TLV stream.

By this operation, with respect to the data acquired from the path otherthan the TLV stream, the original copy control information of the dataset in the broadcasting system in which the data is transmitted is takeninto account, and the redundant copy control states on the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can be eliminated.

The copyright protection function of the broadcast receiving apparatus100 of the present embodiment has been described as being performedbased on the copy control information included in the MPT. However, theMPT is not the only table including the copy control information. Thecopy control information may be included also in tables other than theMPT such as the MH-service description table (MH-SDT), the MH-eventinformation table (MH-EIT), or other tables shown in FIG. 6B, and thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 can perform the copyright protectionprocess in accordance with the copy control information transmitted inthese tables.

According to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to providethe broadcasting receiver supporting MMT digital broadcasting.

Second Embodiment

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below.Constituent elements, processes, effects and the like of the secondembodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment unlessotherwise specified. For this reason, in the following description,differences between the first embodiment and the second embodiment aremainly described, and description of the matters common to bothembodiments will be omitted as much as possible in order to avoidredundant description. Further, the following description will be madebased on the assumption that a broadcast receiving apparatus of thesecond embodiment is a television receiver that supports both of MMTmethod and MPEG2-TS method as the media transport method.

[Hardware Configuration of Broadcast Receiving Apparatus]

FIG. 24 is a block diagram showing an example of an internalconfiguration of a broadcast receiving apparatus 800. The broadcastreceiving apparatus 800 includes a main control unit 801, a system bus802, a ROM 803, a RAM 804, a storage unit 810, a LAN communication unit821, an extension interface unit 824, a digital interface unit 825, afirst tuner/demodulating unit 831, a second tuner/demodulating unit 832,an MMT decode processing unit 841, an MPEG2-TS decode processing unit842, a video synthesizing unit 861, a monitor unit 862, a video outputunit 863, an audio synthesizing unit 864, a speaker unit 865, an audiooutput unit 866, and an operation input unit 870.

The main control unit 801, the system bus 802, the ROM 803, the RAM 804,the storage unit 810, the extension interface unit 824, the digitalinterface unit 825, the monitor unit 862, the video output unit 863, thespeaker unit 865, the audio output unit 866, the operation input unit870, and the like have functions equivalent to those of the main controlunit 101, the system bus 102, the ROM 103, the RAM 104, the storage(accumulation) unit 110, the extension interface unit 124, the digitalinterface unit 125, the monitor unit 162, the video output unit 163, thespeaker unit 165, the audio output unit 166, the operation input unit170, and the like in the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 of the firstembodiment, respectively, and detail descriptions thereof will beomitted.

The first tuner/demodulating unit 831 receives broadcast waves of abroadcasting service adopting the MMT method as the media transportmethod via an antenna (not shown), and tunes to (selects) a channelgiving a service that the user wishes to have, under the control by themain control unit 801. Further, the first tuner/demodulating unit 831demodulates a received broadcasting signal to acquire an MMT datastring, and outputs the MMT data string to the MMT decode processingunit 841. The second tuner/demodulating unit 832 receives broadcastwaves of a broadcasting service adopting the MPEG2-TS method as themedia transport method via an antenna (not shown), and tunes to(selects) a channel giving a service that the user wishes to have, underthe control by the main control unit 801. Further, the secondtuner/demodulating unit 832 demodulates a received broadcasting signalto acquire an MPEG2-TS data string, and outputs the MPEG2-TS data stringto the MPEG2-TS decode processing unit 842.

The MMT decode processing unit 841 receives the MMT data string outputfrom the first tuner/demodulating unit 831, and performs processes ofseparating and decoding a video data string, an audio data string, acaption data string, a subtitle data string, and the like, which arereal-time presentation elements, based on a control signal included inthe MMT data string. The MMT decode processing unit 841 has thefunctions equivalent to those of the separating unit 132, the videodecoder 141, the video color gamut conversion unit 142, the audiodecoder 143, the caption decoder 144, the subtitle decoder 145, thesubtitle synthesizing unit 146, the subtitle color gamut conversion unit147, the data decoder 151, the cache unit 152, the application controlunit 153, the browser unit 154, the application color gamut conversionunit 155, the sound source unit 156, and the like in the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 of the first embodiment. The MMT decodeprocessing unit 841 is capable of performing the various processesdescribed in the first embodiment. The details of the various processeshave been described in the first embodiment, and further descriptionsthereof will be omitted.

The MPEG2-TS decode processing unit 842 receives the MPEG2-TS datastring output from the second tuner/demodulating unit 832, and performsprocesses of separating and decoding a video data string, an audio datastring, a caption data string, a subtitle data string, and the like,which are real-time presentation elements, based on a control signalincluded in the MPEG2-TS data string. The MPEG2-TS decode processingunit 842 has the function equivalent to that of an IRD (IntegratedReviver Decoder) of a conventional television receiver that receivesbroadcast waves of a broadcasting service adopting the MPEG2-TS methodas the media transport method, and detailed descriptions thereof will beomitted.

The video synthesizing unit 861 receives video information, subtitleinformation, and application information output from the MMT decodeprocessing unit 841 and video information, subtitle information, andapplication information output from the MPEG2-TS decode processing unit842, and properly performs a selection process and/or a superpositionprocess. The video synthesizing unit 861 has a video RAM (not shown),and the monitor unit 862 and others are driven based on videoinformation and others inputted to the video RAM. In addition, the videosynthesizing unit 861 performs a scaling process, a superposing processof EPG screen information, and others under the control by the maincontrol unit 801 when necessary. The audio synthesizing unit 864receives audio information output from the MMT decode processing unit841 and audio information output from the MPEG2-TS decode processingunit 842, and properly performs a selection process and/or a mixingprocess.

The LAN communication unit 821 is connected to the Internet 200 via therouter device 200 r, and transmits and receives data to and from serverdevices and other communication equipment on the Internet 200. Further,the LAN communication unit 821 acquires an MMT data string (or part ofit) and an MPEG2-TS data string (or part of it) of a program transmittedthrough the communication line, and properly outputs them to the MMTdecode processing unit 841 and the MPEG2-TS decode processing unit.

[Time Display in Broadcast Receiving Apparatus]

The broadcast receiving apparatus 800 of the present embodiment candisplay the current date and current time on the EPG screen and othervarious setting screens. Information related to the current date andcurrent time is transmitted by an MH-TOT or the like in the case of abroadcasting service adopting the MMT method as the media transportmethod, and the information is transmitted by a TOT (Time Offset Table)or the like provided in SI (Service Information) defined in the MPEG-2system in the case of a broadcasting service adopting the MPEG2-TSmethod as the media transport method. The broadcast receiving apparatus800 can acquire the information related to the current date and currenttime by referring to the MH-TOT and the TOT.

In general, when the video synthesizing unit 861 mainly selects videoinformation and others output from the MMT decode processing unit 841,the video synthesizing unit 861 superposes the information related tothe current date and current time acquired from the MH-TOT on the videoinformation and others, and when the video synthesizing unit 861 mainlyselects video information and others output from the MPEG2-TS decodeprocessing unit 842, the video synthesizing unit 861 superposes theinformation related to the current date and current time acquired fromthe TOT on the video information and others.

However, since the broadcasting service adopting the MMT method as themedia transport method is different from the broadcasting serviceadopting the MPEG2-TS method as the media transport method incoding/decoding processes, transmission paths, and the like, there is apossibility that inconsistency occurs in current time display betweenthe case of selecting the broadcasting service adopting the MMT methodas the media transport method and the case of selecting the broadcastingservice adopting the MPEG2-TS method as the media transport method. Forexample, when an EPG screen 162 g displaying channel information of thebroadcasting service adopting the MMT method as the media transportmethod is switched to an EPG screen 162 h displaying channel informationof the broadcasting service adopting the MPEG2-TS method as the mediatransport method as shown in FIG. 25, the inconsistency caused when thedisplay of current time is switched from a current time display 162 g 1to a current time display 162 h 1 may give the user a feeling of visualdiscomfort.

In order to prevent the user from having such a feeling of visualdiscomfort, the broadcast receiving apparatus 800 of the presentembodiment performs control to superpose the information related to thecurrent date and current time acquired from the TOT on the videoinformation and others even when the video synthesizing unit 861 mainlyselects the video information and others output from the MMT decodeprocessing unit 841. Namely, the broadcast receiving apparatus 800 ofthe present embodiment performs control to superpose current timeinformation provided by the broadcasting service adopting the MPEG2-TSmethod as the media transport method, on the contents of thebroadcasting service adopting the MMT method as the media transportmethod.

Through the control described above, the broadcast receiving apparatus800 of the present embodiment always displays the current timeinformation that is acquired by referring to the TOT. Thus, even whenthe broadcasting service adopting the MMT method as the media transportmethod and the broadcasting service adopting the MPEG2-TS method as themedia transport method are switched to each other, it is possible toprevent the user from having such a feeling of visual discomfort due toinconsistency in the display of current time.

FIG. 26A shows one example of selection control of a reference source ofcurrent time information in accordance with the reception state ofbroadcasting services in the broadcast receiving apparatus 800 of thepresent embodiment. The broadcast receiving apparatus 800 of the presentembodiment always refers to the TOT to acquire current time informationwhen the broadcast receiving apparatus 800 is in a condition in which itcan receive the broadcasting service adopting the MPEG2-TS method as themedia transport method, and refers to the MH-TOT to acquire current timeinformation only when the broadcast receiving apparatus 800 is in acondition in which it cannot receive the broadcasting service adoptingthe MPEG2-TS method as the media transport method but can receive thebroadcasting service adopting the MMT method as the media transportmethod.

In addition, the above-mentioned effect can be achieved also byperforming control to superpose current time information provided by thebroadcasting service adopting the MMT method as the media transportmethod on contents of the broadcasting service adopting the MPEG2-TSmethod as the media transport method contrary to the above control.

In both of the case of control in which current time informationprovided by the broadcasting service adopting the MPEG2-TS method as themedia transport method is superposed on contents of the broadcastingservice adopting the MMT method as the media transport method and thecase of control in which current time information provided by thebroadcasting service adopting the MMT method as the media transportmethod is superposed on contents of the broadcasting service adoptingthe MPEG2-TS method as the media transport method, the current timeinformation can be corrected by referring to the “delta” parameter ofthe time information in the TMCC extension information region asdescribed above in [Time Management of Broadcast Receiving Apparatus] ofthe first embodiment.

Further, in both cases of the broadcasting service in which the MMTmethod is adopted as the media transport method and the broadcastingservice in which the MPEG2-TS method is adopted as the media transportmethod, there is a possibility that the MH-TOT or TOT transmitted byrespective broadcasting services making up the network has an error dueto the fault of the transmission system or the transmission failure. Asthe measures for the error of the MH-TOT or TOT described above, thebroadcast receiving apparatus 800 of the present embodiment has afunction of performing an updating process of time information of abuilt-in clock by acquiring an MH-TOT or TOT from a differentbroadcasting service in the same network or an arbitrary broadcastingservice in another network and referring to current time information ofthe acquired MH-TOT or TOT when it is determined that the MH-TOT or TOTacquired from the service being received at present has an error.

FIG. 26B shows one example of an updating process of current timeinformation in the case where the broadcasting service adopting theMPEG2-TS method as the media transport method is received in thebroadcast receiving apparatus 800 of the present embodiment. Note thatthe process similar to that shown in FIG. 26B is possible even when thebroadcasting service adopting the MMT method as the media transportmethod is received.

When the time information of the built-in clock is updated in thebroadcast receiving apparatus 800 of the present embodiment, first, thereceiving function executing unit 1102 acquires the TOT from theMPEG2-TS data string of the currently received broadcasting service(broadcasting serving adopting the MPEG2-TS method as the mediatransport method) (S301), and then acquires the current time informationby referring to the acquired TOT (S302). Next, the receiving functionexecuting unit 1102 performs the process of comparing the current timeinformation acquired in the process of S302 and the time information ofthe built-in clock.

When the difference between the current time information acquired in theprocess of S302 and the time information of the built-in clock is withina given value (e.g., within 3 minutes) as a result of the comparisonprocess (S303: Yes), the receiving function executing unit 1102 updatesthe time information of the built-in clock based on the current timeinformation acquired in the process of S302 (S306). On the other hand,when the difference between the current time information acquired in theprocess of S302 and the time information of the built-in clock is notwithin the given value as a result of the comparison process (S303: No)or the TOT acquired in S301 has a flag or the like indicating that anerror is present in the data, the receiving function executing unit 1102acquires a TOT from an MPEG2-TS data string of a different broadcastingservice in the same network or acquires an MH-TOT from an MMT datastring of an arbitrary broadcasting service (broadcasting servingadopting the MMT method as the media transport method) in anothernetwork (S304), and further acquires current time information from theacquired TOT or MH-TOT (S305). The receiving function executing unit1102 can perform the comparison process of S303 again based on thecurrent time information acquired in the process of S305.

Through the process described above, the broadcast receiving apparatus800 of the present embodiment can perform the updating process of thetime information of the built-in clock by acquiring an MH-TOT or TOTfrom a different broadcasting service in the same network or anarbitrary broadcasting service in another network and referring tocurrent time information of the acquired MH-TOT or TOT when it isdetermined that the MH-TOT or TOT acquired from the service beingreceived at present has an error.

When the current time information whose difference from the timeinformation of the built-in clock falls within a given range cannot beacquired even by the repetition of S304 and S305 like in the initialsetting after the product shipment, the time information of the built-inclock may be set newly based on the current time information acquired inthe process of S302. In this manner, it is possible to deal with thecase where the time information of the built-in clock of the broadcastreceiving apparatus 800 of the present embodiment has an error.

[Display of EPG in Broadcast Receiving Apparatus]

Event schedule information of the broadcasting service adopting the MMTmethod as the media transport method is transmitted by MH-EIT or thelike. On the other hand, event schedule information of the broadcastingservice adopting the MPEG2-TS method as the media transport method istransmitted by EIT (Event Information Table) or the like included in SIdefined in the MPEG-2 system. Therefore, in general, when videoinformation or the like provided by the broadcasting service adoptingthe MMT method as the media transport method is displayed, the eventschedule information (MH-EIT) of the broadcasting service adopting theMMT method can be acquired, and when video information or the likeprovided by the broadcasting service adopting the MPEG2-TS method as themedia transport method is displayed, the event schedule information(EIT) of the broadcasting service adopting the MPEG2-TS method can beacquired.

However, the broadcast receiving apparatus 800 of the present embodimentcan acquire both MH-EIT and EIT when displaying video information or thelike provided by the broadcasting service adopting the MMT method as themedia transport method as well as when displaying video information orthe like provided by the broadcasting service adopting the MPEG2-TSmethod as the media transport method, and thus the user friendliness canbe improved.

FIG. 27A shows one example of the EPG screen in the broadcast receivingapparatus 800 of the present embodiment. In FIG. 27A, an EPG screen 162i is an EPG screen that is created based on the MH-EIT of thebroadcasting service adopting the MMT method as the media transportmethod, and “M1 television”, “M2 broadcasting”, “M3 channel”, “M4 TV”,“television M5” and the like are the names of broadcast stations thatprovide the broadcasting service adopting the MMT method as the mediatransport method. Further, an EPG screen 162 j is an EPG screen that iscreated based on the EIT of the broadcasting service adopting theMPEG2-TS method as the media transport method, and “T6 television”, “T7broadcasting”, “T8 channel”, “T9 TV”, “television TA” and others are thenames of broadcast stations that provide the broadcasting serviceadopting the MPEG2-TS method as the media transport method.

For example, when the user who is watching a broadcasting programprovided by the broadcasting service adopting the MMT method as themedia transport method gives an instruction to display the EPG screen byoperating the remote controller (not shown in the drawings), an initialEPG screen (not shown) appears. The initial EPG screen is an EPG screenthat is created based on the MH-EIT of the broadcasting service adoptingthe MMT method as the media transport method, and shows detailedinformation of broadcasting programs of respective channels in a timezone of “from 17:00 (around current time)” on “Oct. 7, 2014 (today)”.Then, if the user wishes to check detailed information of broadcastingprograms of respective channels in a time zone of “from 20:00” on “Oct.9, 2014” and gives an instruction to update the EPG screen by operatingthe remote controller (not shown in the drawings), the EPG screen 162 iappears.

Subsequently, if the user wishes to check detailed information ofbroadcasting programs provided by the broadcasting service adopting theMPEG2-TS method as the media transport method and gives a networkswitching instruction by operating the remote controller (not shown),the EPG screen 162 j appears. At this time, the broadcast receivingapparatus 800 of the present embodiment controls the screen to displaydetailed information of broadcasting programs of the respective channelsin the same time zone on the same date (i.e., “from 20:00” on “Oct. 9,2014”) as those of the EPG screen 162 i displayed just before thenetwork switching, instead of the initial EPG screen that is createdbased on the EIT of the broadcasting service adopting the MPEG2-TSmethod as the media transport method (i.e., detailed information ofbroadcasting programs of the respective channels in the time zone of“from 17:00” on “Oct. 7, 2014”).

Through the control described above, the user can consecutively checkdetailed information of broadcasting programs provided in the same timezone on the same date by a plurality of networks with different mediatransport methods by a simple operation. Namely, the user friendlinessof the broadcast receiving apparatus 800 can be improved.

FIG. 27B is a diagram showing an example of the EPG screen in thebroadcast receiving apparatus 800 of the present embodiment that isdifferent from the example mentioned above. An EPG screen 162 k shows astate obtained by scrolling the EPG screen 162 i of FIG. 27A in thedirection of arrangement of the channels (horizontal direction) by theoperation of the remote controller (not shown). Namely, in the exampleof FIG. 27B, by scrolling the EPG screen in the direction of arrangementof the channels (horizontal direction), the channel information that iscreated based on the MH-EIT of the broadcasting service adopting the MMTmethod as the media transport method and the channel information that iscreated based on the EIT of the broadcasting service adopting theMPEG2-TS method as the media transport method are displayed on the sametime axis in a seamless manner.

Accordingly, even when the user wishes to check the channel informationthat is created based on the EIT of the broadcasting service adoptingthe MPEG2-TS method as the media transport method while checking thechannel information that is created based on the MH-EIT of thebroadcasting service adopting the MMT method as the media transportmethod, the user does not need to give a network switching instructionor the like by the operation of the remote controller (not shown). Inaddition, the user is allowed to collectively check detailed informationof broadcasting programs provided in the same time zone on the same dateby a plurality of networks with different media transport methods.Namely, the user friendliness of the broadcast receiving apparatus 800can be improved.

Third Embodiment

A third embodiment according to the present invention will be describedbelow. Constituent elements, processes, effects and the like of thepresent embodiment are the similar to those of the first embodimentunless otherwise specified. For this reason, in the followingdescription, differences between the present embodiment and the firstembodiment will be mainly described, and description of the matterscommon to both embodiments will be omitted as much as possible in orderto avoid redundant description.

A broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the third embodiment ofthe present invention has a similar hardware configuration to that ofthe broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment,and executes a control to realize a different copyright protectingfunction. Note that in the present embodiment, a content protectioncontrol for video of contents will be described. A similar control toone that will be explained below may be carried out for audio, or adifferent content protection control may be carried out for audio.

FIG. 28 is a view in which processes fora copyright protecting functionin the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the thirdembodiment are arranged. The broadcast receiving apparatus 100 accordingto the third embodiment switches copyright protecting processes forcontents before or after an accumulating process for the contentsdepending upon whether received contents are contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080), such as contents with 4K (the number of pixels of3840×2160) or contents with 8K (the number of pixels of 7680×4320), orcontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less).

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 28, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100executes a control to switch content protecting processes based on aparameter (for example, the “digital_recording_control_data” parameter)contained in the contents copy control descriptor that has beenexplained with reference to FIG. 22A and FIG. 22B and a parameter (forexample, the “encryption_mode” parameter) contained in the contentsusage control descriptor that has been explained with reference to FIG.23 in accordance with the number of pixels of the received contents orthe number of pixels after pixel number conversion in a case where thepixel number conversion is to be executed. Further, the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 according to the third embodiment of the presentinvention substantially invalidates the “image_constraint_token”parameter in the contents usage control descriptor shown in FIG. 23.Namely, even though any value is inputted into the“image_constraint_token” parameter, the broadcast receiving apparatus100 according to the third embodiment may determine that limitation ofresolution of a video signal output is not executed. Namely, an idea ofcopyright protection in the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 accordingto the third embodiment is that resolution of the video signal output isnot limited against a user in accordance with the“image_constraint_token” parameter, and appropriate content protectionis subjected to the contents in accordance with a state of the number ofpixels before or after the accumulating process for the contents on thebasis of the table shown in FIG. 28.

In the table shown in FIG. 28, the processes are described by dividingthem into accumulation preprocessing and accumulation postprocessing onthe basis of the accumulating process that is a process to record (orstore) the received contents in the storage unit 110 shown in FIG. 8A orthe like so that the received contents cannot be reproduced in anapparatus other than the broadcast receiving apparatus 100. Theaccumulation preprocessing may be executed before the accumulatingprocess. The accumulation postprocessing is to be executed after theaccumulating process. The accumulation preprocessing will first bedescribed. Note that in the present embodiment, it is no need that theaccumulating process for the contents is then executed even whenexpression of “before accumulation” for contents is used. Thisexpression incudes both a meaning of “a state before accumulation in acase where contents is then to be accumulated actually” and a meaning of“without executing accumulation for contents”.

[Contents at Time of Reception]

The broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the third embodimentreceives contents with an MMT transmission method. Therefore, in theexamples shown in FIG. 28, a transmission method is the MMT transmissionmethod in all cases. Here, contents at the time of reception of thecontents may be contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the numberof pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), such ascontents with 4K (the number of pixels of 3840×2160) or contents with 8K(the number of pixels of 7680×4320), or may be contents with 2K or less(that is, contents with the number of pixels of 1920×1080 or less).

The broadcast receiving apparatus 100 may use data to be transmittedwith the MMT method in order to determine whether the received contentsare contents with over 2K or contents with 2K or less. Specifically, thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 may use information on the number ofpixels of contents, which is contained in a header of a video codedstream (for example, an H.265/HEVC coded stream), or may use informationon the number of pixels, which is stored in “video_resolution” containedin the video component descriptor shown in FIG. 19A that has beenexplained in the first embodiment. The broadcast receiving apparatus 100may execute such determination by using any data to be transmitted withthe MMT method.

[Pixel Number Converting Process for Contents Before Accumulation AfterReception of Contents]

The broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the third embodimentincludes a pixel number converting unit (not shown in the drawings),which executes pixel number conversion for video, either before or afterthe video synthesizing unit shown in FIG. 8A. the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 is allowed to execute a pixel number converting processfor decoded video of the received contents. As shown in the table ofFIG. 28, there are a case where pixel number conversion is not executedfor received contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), a case wherepixel number conversion is executed to convert the received contentsinto other contents with over 2K, and a case where pixel numberconversion is executed to convert the received contents into contentswith 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is1920×1080 or less). Further, as shown in the table of FIG. 28, there area case where pixel number conversion is not executed for the receivedcontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less) and a case where pixel number conversion isexecuted to convert the received contents into other contents with 2K orless (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 orless).

[Outputting Process for Contents Before Accumulation to ExternalEquipment After Reception of Contents]

In a case where the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to thethird embodiment outputs contents before accumulation to externalequipment after reception of the contents, the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 switches protecting processes for the contents inaccordance with a state of the number of pixels of the contents.Specifically, the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 changes the contentprotecting processes in accordance with whether the number of pixels ofthe contents when the contents before accumulation are outputted to theexternal equipment after reception of the contents is the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080 or the number ofpixels of 1920×1080 or less. Here, the term “change content protectingprocesses” means that interpretation of a parameter (for example, the“digital_recording_control_data” parameter) contained in the contentscopy control descriptor that has been explained with reference to FIG.22A and FIG. 22B or a parameter (for example, the “encryption_mode”parameter) contained in the contents usage control descriptor that hasbeen explained with reference to FIG. 23 is changed and contentprotecting processes for these parameters are switched.

Hereinafter, a concrete example of an outputting process of contentsbefore accumulation to external equipment after reception of thecontents shown in FIG. 28 will be described. The outputting process tothe external equipment may be applied to a video outputting process whenvideo decoded by the video decoder 141 shown in FIG. 8A or videoobtained by converting the decoded video by the pixel number convertingunit is outputted from the video output unit 163 to external equipment.As another example, the video output may be executed via an IP interfaceincluding the LAN communication unit 121 shown in FIG. 8A as hardware.

(1-1) A case where contents are outputted to external equipment withoutexecuting pixel number conversion for contents with over 2K (that is,contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) at the time of reception thereof, or a case where contentsare outputted to external equipment after pixel number conversion forthe contents is executed and the contents are converted into contentswith over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceedsthe number of pixels of 1920×1080) having the number of pixels otherthan that of the contents

In this case, a value of the “encryption_mode” parameter of the contentsusage control descriptor is not considered in output protection of thecontents. In a case where the “digital_recording_control_data” parameterof the contents copy control descriptor is 00, content protection byHDCP is not executed, and contents are outputted. In a case where the“digital_recording_control_data” parameter of the contents copy controldescriptor is 10, a high level of content protection after HDCP Revision2 0.2 is applied to the contents, and the contents are then outputted.In a case where the “digital_recording_control_data” parameter of thecontents copy control descriptor is 01, output itself is prohibited. Ina case where the “digital_recording_control_data” parameter of thecontents copy control descriptor is 11, a high level of contentprotection after HDCP Revision 2 0.2 is applied to the contents, and thecontents are then outputted. In a case where the contents copy controldescriptor of the received contents is not contained in the receive datafor some reason or other, the contents are outputted without executingcontent protection by HDCP.

Hereinafter, the content protecting process in which interpretation ofthe “digital_recording_control_data” parameter contained in the contentscopy control descriptor and the “encryption_mode” parameter contained inthe contents usage control descriptor is executed as described above atthe time when the contents before accumulation are outputted to externalequipment will be called as “protecting process for contents with over2K” when the contents before accumulation are outputted to externalequipment.

(1-2) A case where contents are outputted to external equipment afterpixel number conversion for contents with over 2K (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) is executed at the time of reception thereof and the contentsare converted into contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)

In a case where the “digital_recording_control_data” parameter of thecontents copy control descriptor is 00 or in a case where the contentscopy control descriptor of the received contents is not contained in thereceive data for some reason or other, whether content protection at thetime of output thereof is executed or not is switched in accordance witha value of the “encryption_mode” parameter of the contents usage controldescriptor. At this time, in a case where the value of the“encryption_mode” parameter of the contents usage control descriptor is1 and no content protection is specified, the contents can be outputtedwithout executing the protection by HDCP. In a case where the value ofthe “encryption_mode” parameter of the contents usage control descriptoris 0 and content protection is specified, protection by HDCP Revision 1or after Revision 2 is executed, and the contents are then outputted.

Further, in a case where the “digital_recording_control_data” parameterof the contents copy control descriptor is 10, protection by HDCPRevision 1 or after Revision 2 is executed regardless of the value ofthe “encryption_mode” parameter of the contents usage controldescriptor, and the contents are then outputted. In a case where the“digital_recording_control_data” parameter of the contents copy controldescriptor is 01, output itself is prohibited regardless of the value ofthe “encryption_mode” parameter of the contents usage controldescriptor. In a case where the “digital_recording_control_data”parameter of the contents copy control descriptor is 11, protection byHDCP Revision 1 or after Revision 2 is executed regardless of the valueof the “encryption_mode” parameter of the contents usage controldescriptor, and the contents are then outputted. In a case where thecontents copy control descriptor of the received contents is notcontained in the receive data for some reason or other, the contents areoutputted without executing content protection by HDCP.

Hereinafter, the content protecting process, in which interpretation ofthe “digital_recording_control_data” parameter contained in the contentscopy control descriptor and the “encryption_mode” parameter contained inthe contents usage control descriptor is executed as described above atthe time when the contents before accumulation are outputted to externalequipment, will be called as “protecting process for contents with 2K orless” when the contents before accumulation are outputted to externalequipment.

(1-3) A case where contents are outputted to external equipment withoutexecuting pixel number conversion for contents with 2K or less (that is,contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) at thetime of reception thereof, or a case where contents are outputted toexternal equipment after pixel number conversion for the contents isexecuted and the contents are converted into other contents with 2K orless (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 orless)

In this case, the “protecting process for contents with 2K or less” atthe time when the contents before accumulation are outputted to externalequipment, which has been explained in (1-2), is executed.

As explained in (1-1), (1-2), and (1-3) described above, at the timewhen the contents before accumulation are outputted to externalequipment, interpretation of the “digital_recording_control_data”parameter contained in the contents copy control descriptor and the“encryption_mode” parameter contained in the contents usage controldescriptor is switched in accordance with the number of pixels of thecontents when the contents before accumulation are outputted to externalequipment. In a case where contents with over 2K (that is, contents withthe number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080),which are subjected to copy limitation, are outputted to externalequipment in such a state, higher-level content protection is applied tothe contents and the contents are outputted compared with a case wherecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), which are subjected to copy limitation, areoutputted to external equipment in such a state. This makes it possibleto protect contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), which have ahigher added value, even in external equipment appropriately.

[Content Protecting Process at Time of Accumulation of Contents]

It has already been explained that the broadcast receiving apparatus 100according to the third embodiment switches the protecting processes forthe contents in accordance with the state of the number of pixels of thecontents in the outputting process of the contents before accumulationto external equipment after reception of the contents. This is because areproducing apparatus that reproduces contents at an output destinationis the external equipment and a compliant level (or a compatible level)of a content protecting process may differ depending upon a type ofequipment.

On the other hand, in a case where contents are accumulated by a contentaccumulating function by which only the broadcast receiving apparatus100 that received and recorded contents can reproduce the contents,there is no need to change processes in accordance with a state of thenumber of pixels of the contents. This is because the contents are justcontents managed by the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 itself, andthus, there is no need to consider a plurality of compliant levels forthe content protecting process. Therefore, in a case where contents areto be accumulated by the content accumulating function by which only thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 that received and recorded thecontents can reproduce the contents in order to simplify management inthe broadcast receiving apparatus 100, it is desirable that a commonaccumulation protecting process is executed even though the contents arecontents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels thatexceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080) at the time of accumulationor contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less). Note that a content accumulating process maybe executed for the storage unit 110 (FIG. 8A), which is a recordingmedium built in the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to thethird embodiment, for example. However, in a case where a localencrypting process peculiar to the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 isexecuted and management in which only the broadcast receiving apparatus100 can reproduce the contents is executed, the contents may beaccumulated in a recording medium such as an external hard disk.

In a content accumulating process shown in FIG. 28, a commonaccumulation protecting process described below is executed in any caseof: contents in which pixel number conversion is not executed forcontents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels thatexceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080) at the time of reception;contents in which pixel number conversion is executed for contents withover 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds thenumber of pixels of 1920×1080) at the time of reception and the numberof pixels of the contents is converted into the other number of pixelsof contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080); contents in which pixelnumber conversion is executed for contents with over 2K (that is,contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) at the time of reception and the contents are converted intocontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less); contents in which pixel number conversion isnot executed for contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) at the time of reception;and contents in which pixel number conversion is executed for contentswith 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is1920×1080 or less) at the time of reception and the contents areconverted into other contents with 2K or less (that is, contents withthe number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less).

Here, the “common accumulation protecting process” means that aninterpreting process for the “digital_recording_control_data” parametercontained in the contents copy control descriptor, the “encryption_mode”parameter contained in the contents usage control descriptor, and theother parameters, is common between contents with over 2K (that is,contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) and contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) at the time of accumulation.

Hereinafter, concrete examples of the “common accumulation protectingprocess” in the content accumulating process shown in FIG. 28 will bedescribed.

First, in a case where a value of the “digital_recording_control_data”parameter contained in the contents copy control descriptor is 00 andthe contents are set as “copy free (copiable without any constraintcondition)”, the contents can be accumulated without limiting copythereof. Copy control information on the recording medium at the time ofaccumulation when contents to be accumulated on the recording medium aremanaged may be accumulated as “copy free”. Note that the copy controlinformation on the recording medium, which is used for copy control ofthe accumulated contents, may be generated and managed separately fromthe value of the “digital_recording_control_data” parameter contained inthe contents copy control descriptor, and there is no need to rewritethe value of the “digital_recording_control_data” parameter contained inthe contents copy control descriptor.

In this case, a value of the “encryption_mode” parameter contained inthe contents usage control descriptor is considered. In a case wherethis value is 1 and protection of contents is specified, a localencrypting process peculiar to the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 isapplied to the contents when an accumulating process is executed, andthe contents are then accumulated so that only the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 can reproduce the contents. In a case where the value ofthe “encryption_mode” parameter contained in the contents usage controldescriptor is 0 and protection of the contents is not specified, thelocal encrypting process may not be executed (however, in this case, thelocal encrypting process may be applied thereto). The content protectingprocesses are not changed in accordance with the number of pixels of thecontents before output to external equipment, copy to externalequipment, or move to external equipment (will be described later) isexecuted while the contents are accumulated as “copy free”, and a commoncontent protecting process is executed. This makes it possible tosimplify management in the broadcast receiving apparatus 100.

In a case where the value of the “digital_recording_control_data”parameter contained in the contents copy control descriptor is 10 and avalue of the “copy_restriction_mode” parameter (see FIG. 23) containedin the contents usage control descriptor is 1, the contents areinterpreted as contents for “copiable only for one generation”, and inthe accumulating process, the copy control information on the recordingmedium at the time of accumulation when the contents to be accumulatedon the recording medium are managed is accumulated as “recopyprohibition (no more copies)”. Note that the copy control information onthe recording medium, which is used for the copy control of theaccumulated contents, may be generated and managed separately from thevalue of the “digital_recording_control_data” parameter contained in thecontents copy control descriptor, and there is no need to rewrite thevalue of the “digital_recording_control_data” parameter contained in thecontents copy control descriptor. Note that when the accumulatingprocess is executed as “recopy prohibition”, the local encryptingprocess peculiar to the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 is applied tothe contents, and the contents are then accumulated so that only thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 can reproduce the contents. A copyingprocess for the contents for which the accumulating process is executedas “recopy prohibition” is prohibited. The content protecting processesare not changed in accordance with the number of pixels of the contentsbefore output to external equipment, or move to external equipment (willbe described later) as “recopy prohibition” is executed while thecontents are accumulated as “recopy prohibition”, and the common contentprotecting process is executed. This makes it possible to simplifymanagement in the broadcast receiving apparatus 100.

In a case where the value of the “digital_recording_control_data”parameter contained in the contents copy control descriptor is 10 andthe value of the “copy_restriction_mode” parameter contained in thecontents usage control descriptor is 0, the contents are interpreted ascontents for “copiable for restricted number”, and in the accumulatingprocess, the copy control information on the recording medium at thetime of accumulation when the contents to be accumulated on therecording medium are managed can be accumulated as “copiable forrestricted number”. Note that the copy control information on therecording medium, which is used for the copy control of the accumulatedcontents, may be generated and managed separately from the value of the“digital_recording_control_data” parameter contained in the contentscopy control descriptor, and there is no need to rewrite the value ofthe “digital_recording_control_data” parameter contained in the contentscopy control descriptor. Note that when the accumulating process isexecuted as “copiable for restricted number”, the local encryptingprocess peculiar to the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 is applied tothe contents, and the contents are then accumulated so that only thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100 can reproduce the contents. Thecontent protecting processes are not changed in accordance with thenumber of pixels of the contents before output to external equipment,copy to external equipment, or move to external equipment (will bedescribed later) as “copiable for restricted number” is executed whilethe contents are accumulated as “recopy prohibition”, and the commoncontent protecting process is executed. This makes it possible tosimplify management in the broadcast receiving apparatus 100.

In a case where the value of the “digital_recording_control_data”parameter contained in the contents copy control descriptor is 11, thecontents are interpreted as contents of “copy prohibition (copy never)”.In this case, in a case where the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 iscompliant with a “temporary accumulation” function, temporaryaccumulation can be executed. However, in a case where the broadcastreceiving apparatus 100 is not compliant with the “temporaryaccumulation” function, accumulation is prohibited, and the accumulatingprocess is thus not executed. In a case where the broadcast receivingapparatus 100 is compliant with the “temporary accumulation” function,in the accumulating process, the copy control information on therecording medium at the time of accumulation when the contents to beaccumulated on the recording medium are managed is accumulated as“temporary accumulation”, and contents having a fixed time (for example,90 minutes) can be accumulated. In this case, accumulation time ismanaged in minutes, and the accumulated contents have to becomereproduction disablement before exceeding the fixed time describedabove+one minute from the time of reception (=at the time of start ofaccumulation). As concrete examples of the reproduction disablement ofthe contents, there are a method of deleting contents themselves, amethod of deleting an encryption key and the like, whereby reproductionof the contents may become impossible. With respect to contents forwhich the accumulating process is executed as “temporary accumulation”,a copying process or a moving process is prohibited. The contentprotecting processes are not changed in accordance with the number ofpixels of the contents before output to external equipment (will bedescribed later) as “recopy prohibition” is executed while the contentsare accumulated as “recopy prohibition”, and the common contentprotecting process is executed. This makes it possible to simplifymanagement in the broadcast receiving apparatus 100.

As explained above, at the time of accumulation of contents,interpretation of the “digital_recording_control_data” parametercontained in the contents copy control descriptor and the“encryption_mode” parameter contained in the contents usage controldescriptor is not switched in accordance with the number of pixels ofthe contents at the time of accumulation, the content protecting processis commonalized. This makes it possible to simplify management in thebroadcast receiving apparatus 100.

[Pixel Number Converting Process After Accumulation of Contents]

The broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the third embodimentincludes a pixel number converting unit (not shown in the drawings),which executes pixel number conversion for video, either before or afterthe video synthesizing unit shown in FIG. 8A. Contents afteraccumulation are reproduced from the storage unit 110 shown in FIG. 8A,the video data are decoded by the video decoder 141, and the pixelnumber converting unit (not shown in the drawings) executes pixel numberconversion for the video, whereby a pixel number converting process forthe decoded video of the contents accumulated in the storage unit 110can be executed.

As shown in the table of FIG. 28, the pixel number conversion is notexecuted for the received contents with over 2K (that is, contents withthe number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080),but the pixel number conversion is executed for the accumulated contentswith over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceedsthe number of pixels of 1920×1080) or the received contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents withover 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds thenumber of pixels of 1920×1080) and accumulate the contents. The pixelnumber conversion may not be executed for the accumulated contents withover 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds thenumber of pixels of 1920×1080) at the time of output, movement, or copyafter accumulation. In this case, target contents for output, movement,or copy are contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080).

Further, the pixel number conversion is not executed for the receivedcontents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels thatexceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), but the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) or the received contents with over 2K (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) and accumulate the contents. The pixel numberconversion may be executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) at the time of output, movement, or copy afteraccumulation to convert the contents into the other contents with over2K. In this case, target contents for output, movement, or copy arecontents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels thatexceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080).

Further, the pixel number conversion is not executed for the receivedcontents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels thatexceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), but the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) or the received contents with over 2K (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) and accumulate the contents. The pixel numberconversion may be executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) at the time of output, movement, or copy afteraccumulation to convert the contents into contents with 2K or less (thatis, contents with the number of pixels of 11920×1080 or less). In thiscase, target contents for output, movement, or copy are contents with 2Kor less (that is, contents with the number of pixels of 11920×1080 orless).

Further, the pixel number conversion is executed for the receivedcontents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels thatexceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080) to convert the contents intocontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less) and accumulate them. The pixel numberconversion may not be executed for the accumulated contents with 2K orless (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 orless) at the time of output, movement, or copy after accumulation. Inthis case, target contents for output, movement, or copy are contentswith 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is1920×1080 or less).

Further, the pixel number conversion is executed for the receivedcontents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels thatexceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080) to convert the contents intocontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less) and accumulate them. The pixel numberconversion may be executed for the accumulated contents with 2K or less(that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)at the time of output, movement, or copy after accumulation to convertthe contents into other contents with 2K or less (that is, contents withthe number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less). In this case, targetcontents for output, movement, or copy are contents with 2K or less(that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less).

Further, the pixel number conversion is not executed for the receivedcontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), but the pixel number conversion is executedfor the accumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) or the received contentswith 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is1920×1080 or less) to convert the contents into other contents with 2Kor less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080or less) and accumulate the contents. The pixel number conversion maynot be executed for the accumulated contents with 2K or less (that is,contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) at thetime of output, movement, or copy after accumulation. In this case,target contents for output, movement, or copy are contents with 2K orless (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 orless).

Further, the pixel number conversion is not executed for the receivedcontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), but the pixel number conversion is executedfor the accumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) or the received contentswith 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is1920×1080 or less) to convert the contents into other contents with 2Kor less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080or less) and accumulate the contents. The pixel number conversion may beexecuted for the accumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) at the time ofoutput, movement, or copy after accumulation to convert the contentsinto other contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the numberof pixels that is 1920×1080 or less). In this case, target contents foroutput, movement, or copy are contents with 2K or less (that is,contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less).

[Outputting Process to External Equipment After Accumulation ofContents]

It has already been explained that the broadcast receiving apparatus 100according to the third embodiment does not switch the protectingprocesses for the contents in accordance with the state of the number ofpixels of the contents in the content accumulating process, but executesthe common content protecting process. This is because in a case wherethe contents are accumulated by the content accumulating function bywhich only the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 that received andrecorded the contents can reproduce the contents, the contents are justcontents managed by the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 itself, andthus, there is no need to consider a plurality of compliant levels forthe content protecting process. On the other hand, in a case where theaccumulated contents are outputted to external equipment, a compliantlevel of the content protecting process may differ depending upon a typeof reproducing apparatus that reproduces the contents at an outputdestination. Therefore, it is desirable that the content protectingprocess is differentiated in accordance with the number of pixels of thecontents when the accumulated contents are outputted to externalequipment.

Hereinafter, a concrete example of an outputting process to externalequipment after accumulation of contents shown in FIG. 28 will bedescribed. The outputting process to external equipment afteraccumulation of contents may be applied to a video outputting processwhen video obtained by decoding video of contents accumulated in thestorage unit 110 shown in FIG. 8A by the video decoder 141 or videoobtained by converting the decoded video by the pixel number convertingunit is outputted to external equipment from the video output unit 163.As another example, the video output may be executed via the IPinterface including the LAN communication unit 121 shown in FIG. 8A ashardware.

(2-1) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) or the received contents with over 2K (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) and accumulate the contents, and the pixel numberconversion is not executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) when the contents after accumulation are outputtedto external equipment

In this case, target contents to be outputted to the exterior (externaloutput) are contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080).

The accumulated contents for which copy control information on therecording medium at the time of accumulation is set as “copy free” canbe outputted without executing content protection by HDCP when thecontents are reproduced and outputted to the exterior afteraccumulation. At this time, it is not considered whether protection ofthe contents is specified by the value of the “encryption_mode”parameter contained in the contents usage control descriptor at the timeof accumulation or not. This makes it possible to communalize theprocess with the case where the “digital_recording_control_data”parameter of the contents copy control descriptor in (1-1) describedabove for outputting the contents to the exterior before accumulation is00.

With respect to the accumulated contents for which the copy controlinformation on the recording medium at the time of accumulation is setas “recopy prohibition”, the accumulated contents for which the copycontrol information on the recording medium at the time of accumulationis set as “copiable for restricted number”, and the accumulated contentsfor which the copy control information on the recording medium at thetime of accumulation is set as “temporary accumulation”, a high level ofcontent protection after HDCP Revision 2.2 is applied to the contentsand the contents are then outputted when the contents are reproduced andoutputted to the exterior after accumulation.

Hereinafter, the content protecting process, in which the contentprotection as described above is executed in accordance with the copycontrol information on the recording medium when the contents afteraccumulation are outputted to external equipment as contents with over2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the numberof pixels of 1920×1080), will be called as “protecting process forcontents with over 2K” when the contents after accumulation areoutputted to external equipment.

(2-2) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) or the received contents with over 2K (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) and accumulate the contents, and the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2Kwhen the contents after accumulation are outputted to external equipment

In this case, target contents to be outputted to the exterior arecontents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels thatexceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), and are similar to the caseof (2-1) described above. Therefore, the “protecting process forcontents with over 2K” when the contents after accumulation areoutputted to external equipment, which has been explained in (2-1), isexecuted.

(2-3) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) or the received contents with over 2K (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) and accumulate the contents, and the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) to convert the contents into contents with 2K or less(that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)when the contents after accumulation are outputted to external equipment

In this case, target contents to be outputted to the exterior arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less).

In this case, with respect to the accumulated contents for which thecopy control information on the recording medium at the time ofaccumulation is set as “copy free”, the content protecting processes areswitched by taking into consideration whether protection is specified bythe value of the “encryption_mode” parameter contained in the contentsusage control descriptor at the time of accumulation or not.Specifically, in a case where the value of the “encryption_mode”parameter is 1 and protection of the contents is not specified, thecontents can be outputted without executing content protection by HDCPwhen the contents are reproduced and outputted to the exterior afteraccumulation. In a case where the value of the “encryption_mode”parameter is 0 and protection of the contents is specified, protectionby HDCP Revision 1 or after Revision 2 is executed and the contents arethen outputted when the contents are reproduced and outputted toexternal equipment after accumulation. This makes it possible tocommunalize the process with the case where the“digital_recording_control_data” parameter of the contents copy controldescriptor in (1-2) described above for outputting the contents to theexterior before accumulation is 00.

Further, with respect to the accumulated contents for which the copycontrol information on the recording medium at the time of accumulationis set as “recopy prohibition”, the accumulated contents for which thecopy control information on the recording medium at the time ofaccumulation is set as “copiable for restricted number”, and theaccumulated contents for which the copy control information on therecording medium at the time of accumulation is set as “temporaryaccumulation”, protection by HDCP Revision 1 or after Revision 2 isexecuted and the contents are then outputted.

Hereinafter, the content protecting process, in which the contentprotection as described above is executed in accordance with the copycontrol information on the recording medium when the contents afteraccumulation are outputted to external equipment as contents with 2K orless (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 orless), will be called as “protecting process for contents with 2K orless” when the contents after accumulation are outputted to externalequipment.

(2-4) A case where the pixel number conversion is executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080) to convert thecontents into contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less), and the pixel numberconversion is not executed for the accumulated contents with 2K or less(that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)when the contents after accumulation are outputted to external equipment

In this case, target contents to be outputted to the exterior arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), and are similar to the case of (2-3)described above. Therefore, the “protecting process for contents with 2Kor less” when the contents after accumulation are outputted to externalequipment, which has been explained in (2-3), is executed.

(2-5) A case where the pixel number conversion is executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080) to convert thecontents into contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less), and the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with 2K or less(that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)to convert the contents into other contents with 2K or less (that is,contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) when thecontents after accumulation are outputted to external equipment

In this case, target contents to be outputted to the exterior arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), and are similar to the case of (2-3)described above. Therefore, the “protecting process for contents with 2Kor less” when the contents after accumulation are outputted to externalequipment, which has been explained in (2-3), is executed.

(2-6) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that is 1920×1080 or less), the pixel number conversion isexecuted for the accumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) or the receivedcontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less) to convert the contents into other contentswith 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is1920×1080 or less), and the pixel number conversion is not executed forthe accumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) when the contents afteraccumulation are outputted to external equipment

In this case, target contents to be outputted to the exterior arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), and are similar to the case of (2-3)described above. Therefore, the “protecting process for contents with 2Kor less” when the contents after accumulation are outputted to externalequipment, which has been explained in (2-3), is executed.

(2-7) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that is 1920×1080 or less), the pixel number conversion isexecuted for the accumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) or the receivedcontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less) to convert the contents into other contentswith 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is1920×1080 or less), and the pixel number conversion is executed for theaccumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the numberof pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) when the contents afteraccumulation are outputted to external equipment to convert the contentsinto other contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the numberof pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)

In this case, target contents to be outputted to the exterior arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), and are similar to the case of (2-3)described above. Therefore, the “protecting process for contents with 2Kor less” when the contents after accumulation are outputted to externalequipment, which has been explained in (2-3), is executed.

As explained in (2-1) to (2-7) described above, at the time when thecontents are outputted to external equipment after accumulation, thecontent protecting processes are switched in accordance with the numberof pixels of the contents when the contents after accumulation areoutputted to external equipment. In a case where contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080), which are subjected to copy limitation, areoutputted to external equipment in such a state, higher-level contentprotection is applied to the contents and the contents are outputtedcompared with a case where contents with 2K or less (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less), which aresubjected to copy limitation, are outputted to external equipment insuch a state. This makes it possible to protect contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080), which have a higher added value, even in externalequipment appropriately.

[Moving Process to External Equipment After Accumulation of Contents]

It has already been explained that in the content accumulating process,the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the third embodimentexecutes the common content protecting process in accordance with thestate of the number of pixels of the contents without switching theprotecting processes of the contents. This is because in a case wherethe contents are accumulated by the content accumulating function bywhich only the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 that received andrecorded the contents can reproduce the contents, the contents are justcontents managed by the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 itself, andthus, there is no need to consider a plurality of compliant levels forthe content protecting process. On the other hand, in a case where theaccumulated contents are moved to external equipment, a compliant levelof the content protecting process may differ depending upon a type ofequipment as a movement destination. Therefore, it is desirable that thecontent protecting process is differentiated in accordance with thenumber of pixels of the contents when the accumulated contents are movedto external equipment.

Hereinafter, a concrete example of a moving process to externalequipment after accumulation of contents shown in FIG. 28 will bedescribed. Note that the moving process of contents to externalequipment after the contents are accumulated in the storage unit 110shown in FIG. 8A may be executed via the IP interface including the LANcommunication unit 121 shown in FIG. 8A as hardware, for example.

(3-1) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) or the received contents with over 2K (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) and accumulate the contents, and the pixel numberconversion is not executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) when the contents after accumulation are moved toexternal equipment

In this case, target contents to be moved to external equipment arecontents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels thatexceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080).

The accumulated contents for which copy control information on therecording medium at the time of accumulation is set as “copy free” canbe moved without executing content protection by DTCP when the contentsare moved to external equipment after accumulation. At this time, it isnot considered whether protection of the contents is specified by thevalue of the “encryption_mode” parameter contained in the contents usagecontrol descriptor at the time of accumulation or not.

With respect to the accumulated contents for which the copy controlinformation on the recording medium at the time of accumulation is setas “recopy prohibition”, and the accumulated contents for which the copycontrol information on the recording medium at the time of accumulationis set as “copiable for restricted number”, content protection isexecuted by DTCP2 (which is described in Reference document 1), which isa content protecting system with a higher level than that of DTCP-IP,whereby it is possible to move the contents to external equipment. Notethat the external equipment can reproduce the contents protected byDTCP2 (that is, the contents protected by DTCP2 can be transmitted tothe external equipment) only in a case where the external equipment iscompliant with content protection by DPCT2 even though the externalequipment is compliant with content protection by DTCP-IP. Therefore,the content protection by DPCT2 is more powerful than the contentprotection by DTCP-IP, but existing external equipment cannot becompliant with contents protected by DTCP2. On the other hand, thecontent protection by DTCP-IP cannot utilize a new content protectionflag and the like for DPCT2. However, it becomes possible to move thecontents to external equipment that is not compliant with DPCT2 butcompliant with existing DTCP-IP.

-   [Reference document 1: Digital Transmission Licensing Administrator    DTCP2 Presentation to CPTWG Jan. 27, 2016]

Hereinafter, the content protecting process, in which the contentprotection as described above is executed in accordance with the copycontrol information on the recording medium when the contents afteraccumulation are moved to external equipment as contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080), will be called as “protecting process for contentswith over 2K” when the contents after accumulation are moved to externalequipment.

(3-2) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) or the received contents with over 2K (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) and accumulate the contents, and the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2Kwhen the contents after accumulation are moved to external equipment

In this case, target contents to be moved to external equipment arecontents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels thatexceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), and are similar to the caseof (3-1) described above. Therefore, the “protecting process forcontents with over 2K” when the contents after accumulation are moved toexternal equipment, which has been explained in (3-1), is executed.

(3-3) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) or the received contents with over 2K (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) and accumulate the contents, and the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) to convert the contents into contents with 2K or less(that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)when the contents after accumulation are moved to external equipment

In this case, target contents to be moved to external equipment arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less).

In this case, with respect to the accumulated contents for which thecopy control information on the recording medium at the time ofaccumulation is set as “copy free”, the content protecting processes areswitched by taking into consideration whether protection is specified bythe value of the “encryption_mode” parameter contained in the contentsusage control descriptor at the time of accumulation or not.Specifically, in a case where the value of the “encryption_mode”parameter is 1 and protection of the contents is not specified, thecontents can be moved without executing content protection by DTCP whenthe contents are moved to external equipment after accumulation. In acase where the value of the “encryption_mode” parameter is 0 andprotection of the contents is specified, protection by DTCP (or DTCP-IPwhen the contents are moved via an IP interface) can be executed andthen moved when the contents are moved to external equipment afteraccumulation. At this time, content protection by DTCP2 is not required.

Further, with respect to the accumulated contents for which the copycontrol information on the recording medium at the time of accumulationis set as “recopy prohibition”, and the accumulated contents for whichthe copy control information on the recording medium at the time ofaccumulation is set as “copiable for restricted number”, protection byDTCP (or DTCP-IP when the contents are moved via the IP interface) isexecuted, and the contents are then moved. At this time, contentprotection by DTCP2 is not required.

Hereinafter, the content protecting process, in which the contentprotection as described above is executed in accordance with the copycontrol information on the recording medium when the contents afteraccumulation are moved to external equipment as contents with 2K or less(that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less),will be called as “protecting process for contents with 2K or less” whenthe contents after accumulation are moved to external equipment.

(3-4) A case where the pixel number conversion is executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080) to convert thecontents into contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less), and the pixel numberconversion is not executed for the accumulated contents with 2K or less(that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)when the contents are moved to external equipment after accumulation

In this case, target contents to be moved to external equipment arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), and are similar to the case of (3-3)described above. Therefore, the “protecting process for contents with 2Kor less” when the contents after accumulation are moved to externalequipment, which has been explained in (3-3), is executed.

(3-5) A case where the pixel number conversion is executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080) to convert thecontents into contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less), and the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with 2K or less(that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)when the contents after accumulation are moved to external equipment toconvert the contents into other contents with 2K or less (that is,contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)

In this case, target contents to be moved to external equipment arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), and are similar to the case of (3-3)described above. Therefore, the “protecting process for contents with 2Kor less” when the contents after accumulation are moved to externalequipment, which has been explained in (3-3), is executed.

(3-6) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that is 1920×1080 or less), the pixel number conversion isexecuted for the accumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) or the receivedcontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less) to convert the contents into other contentswith 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is1920×1080 or less), and the pixel number conversion is not executed forthe accumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) when the contents are movedto external equipment after accumulation

In this case, target contents to be moved to external equipment arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), and are the similar to the case of (3-3)described above. Therefore, the “protecting process for contents with 2Kor less” when the contents after accumulation are moved to externalequipment, which has been explained in (3-3), is executed.

(3-7) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that is 1920×1080 or less), the pixel number conversion isexecuted for the accumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) or the receivedcontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less) to convert the contents into other contentswith 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is1920×1080 or less), and the pixel number conversion is executed for theaccumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the numberof pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) when the contents are moved toexternal equipment after accumulation to convert the contents into othercontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less)

In this case, target contents to be moved to external equipment arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), and are the similar to the case of (3-3)described above. Therefore, the “protecting process for contents with 2Kor less” when the contents after accumulation are moved to externalequipment, which has been explained in (3-3), is executed.

As explained in (3-1) to (3-7) described above, at the time when thecontents are moved to external equipment after accumulation, the contentprotecting processes are switched in accordance with the number ofpixels of the contents when the contents after accumulation are moved toexternal equipment. In a case where contents with over 2K (that is,contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080), which are subjected to copy limitation, are moved toexternal equipment in such a state, higher-level content protection isapplied to the contents and the contents are moved compared with a casewhere contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that is 1920×1080 or less), which are subjected to copylimitation, are moved to external equipment in such a state. This makesit possible to protect contents with over 2K (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), whichhave a higher added value, even in external equipment appropriately.

Note that even in a case of any of (3-1) to (3-7) described above,movement of the contents to external equipment includes a series ofprocesses in which contents are copied to only one authorized externalequipment and reproduction of original contents is disabled. At thistime, the reproduction of the original contents must be disabled withinone minute after the contents are copied to external equipment. Asconcrete examples of disablement of reproduction of contents, there area method of deleting the contents themselves, or a method of deleting anencryption key for the contents. This may cause reproduction of thecontents to be disabled.

[Copying Process to External Equipment After Accumulation of Contents]

It has already been explained that in the content accumulating process,the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the third embodimentexecutes the common content protecting process in accordance with thestate of the number of pixels of the contents without switching theprotecting processes of the contents. This is because in a case wherethe contents are accumulated by the content accumulating function bywhich only the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 that received andrecorded the contents can reproduce the contents, the contents are justcontents managed by the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 itself, andthus, there is no need to consider a plurality of compliant levels forthe content protecting process. On the other hand, in a case where theaccumulated contents are copied to external equipment, a compliant levelof the content protecting process may differ depending upon a type ofequipment as a copy destination. Therefore, it is desirable that thecontent protecting process is differentiated in accordance with thenumber of pixels of the contents when the accumulated contents arecopied to external equipment.

Hereinafter, a concrete example of a copying process to externalequipment after accumulation of contents shown in FIG. 28 will bedescribed. Note that the copying process of contents to externalequipment after the contents are accumulated in the storage unit 110shown in FIG. 8A may be executed via the IP interface including the LANcommunication unit 121 shown in FIG. 8A as hardware, for example.

Further, with respect to the accumulated contents for which the copycontrol information on the recording medium at the time of accumulationis set as “recopy prohibition”, copy of the contents to externalequipment is prohibited. With respect to the accumulated contents forwhich the copy control information on the recording medium at the timeof accumulation is set as “copiable for restricted number”, copies canbe generated up to nine in addition to the original contents. However,for example, in a case where the storage unit 110 shown in FIG. 8A,which accumulates the contents therein, is configured by a RAID systemconfigured to execute backup processing in which a user cannot accessthe contents directly, a copy or copies for backup, which the usercannot access directly, may be left off from the restricted number ofnine described above. In a case where the nine copies within a copyrestricted number as described above are executed to plural pieces ofexternal equipment via the IP interface, there is need to execute thecopies in a state where a number such as one is managed for oneauthorized external equipment. After the copies of the restricted numberdescribed above (nine) are generated, the original contents can be movedto another external equipment by the moving process described above. Thecopying process for the nine contents and the moving process for theoriginal contents are equivalent processing in which nine copies aregenerated in the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 at the time ofaccumulation of the contents, and ten contents including originalcontents are moved to external equipment one by one as the movingprocess.

Hereinafter, a concrete process to differentiate content protectingprocesses in accordance with the number of pixels of contents whenaccumulated contents are copied to external equipment will be described.

(4-1) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) or the received contents with over 2K (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) and accumulate the contents, and the pixel numberconversion is not executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) when the contents after accumulation are copied toexternal equipment

In this case, target contents to be copied to external equipment arecontents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels thatexceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080).

The accumulated contents for which copy control information on therecording medium at the time of accumulation is set as “copy free” canbe copied without executing content protection by DTCP when the contentsare copied to external equipment after accumulation. At this time, it isnot considered whether protection of the contents is specified by thevalue of the “encryption_mode” parameter contained in the contents usagecontrol descriptor at the time of accumulation or not.

With respect to the accumulated contents for which the copy controlinformation on the recording medium at the time of accumulation is setas “recopy prohibition”, copy thereof to external equipment isprohibited. In a case where the accumulated contents for which the copycontrol information on the recording medium at the time of accumulationis set as “copiable for restricted number” are copied to externalequipment within the restricted number of nine as described above,content protection is executed by the DTCP2 described above that is acontent protecting system with a higher level than that of DTCP-IP, andthe contents can then be copied to external equipment (At this time, bytransmitting copy target contents to external equipment one by one byusing the moving process of DTCP2, the copy by managing the number ofcontents may be realized. In this case, the moving process is executedfor one piece of contents in the restricted number of nine, and thenumber of copy target contents is thus reduced to become treatmentequivalent of the reproduction disablement. However, reproductiondisablement for the original contents themselves other than therestricted number of nine is not required.). Note that the externalequipment can reproduce the contents protected by DTCP2 (that is, thecontents protected by DTCP2 can be transmitted to the externalequipment)

only in a case where the external equipment is compliant with contentprotection by DPCT2 even though the external equipment is compliant withcontent protection by DTCP-IP. Therefore, the content protection byDPCT2 is more powerful than the content protection by DTCP-IP, butexisting external equipment cannot be compliant with contents protectedby DTCP2. On the other hand, the content protection by DTCP-IP cannotutilize a new content protection flag and the like for DPCT2. However,it becomes possible to copy the contents to external equipment that isnot compliant with DPCT2 but compliant with existing DTCP-IP.

Hereinafter, the content protecting process, in which the contentprotection as described above is executed in accordance with the copycontrol information on the recording medium when the contents afteraccumulation are copied to external equipment as contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080), will be called as “protecting process for contentswith over 2K” when the contents after accumulation are copied toexternal equipment.

(4-2) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) or the received contents with over 2K (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) and accumulate the contents, and the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2Kwhen the contents after accumulation are copied to external equipment

In this case, target contents to be copied to external equipment arecontents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels thatexceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), and are similar to the caseof (4-1) described above. Therefore, the “protecting process forcontents with over 2K” when the contents after accumulation are moved toexternal equipment, which has been explained in (4-1), is executed.

(4-3) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) or the received contents with over 2K (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of1920×1080) to convert the contents into other contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080) and accumulate the contents, and the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with over 2K (thatis, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number of pixelsof 1920×1080) to convert the contents into contents with 2K or less(that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)when the contents after accumulation are copied to external equipment

In this case, target contents to be copied to external equipment arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less).

In this case, with respect to the accumulated contents for which thecopy control information on the recording medium at the time ofaccumulation is set as “copy free”, the content protecting processes areswitched by taking into consideration whether protection is specified bythe value of the “encryption_mode” parameter contained in the contentsusage control descriptor at the time of accumulation or not.Specifically, in a case where the value of the “encryption_mode”parameter is 1 and protection of the contents is not specified, thecontents can be copied without executing content protection by DTCP whenthe contents are copied to external equipment after accumulation. In acase where the value of the “encryption_mode” parameter is 0 andprotection of the contents is specified, protection by DTCP (or DTCP-IPwhen the contents are copied via an IP interface) can be executed andthen copied when the contents are copied to external equipment afteraccumulation. At this time, content protection by DTCP2 is not required.

With respect to the accumulated contents for which the copy controlinformation on the recording medium at the time of accumulation is setas “recopy prohibition”, copy thereof to external equipment isprohibited. In a case where the accumulated contents for which the copycontrol information on the recording medium at the time of accumulationis set as “copiable for restricted number” are copied to externalequipment within the restricted number of nine as described above,protection by DTCP (or DTCP-IP when the contents are copied via an IPinterface), and the contents are then copied. At this time, contentprotection by DTCP2 is not required. In order to realize the copy bymanaging the number of contents, a moving function of DTCP may be usedfor copy of the contents one by one at this time. In this case, sincethe moving process is executed for one piece of contents within therestricted number of nine, the number of contents as the copy target isreduced and to become treatment equivalent of the reproductiondisablement. However, reproduction disablement for the original contentsthemselves other than the restricted number of nine is not required.

Hereinafter, the content protecting process, in which the contentprotection as described above is executed in accordance with the copycontrol information on the recording medium when the contents afteraccumulation are copied to external equipment as contents with 2K orless (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 orless), will be called as “protecting process for contents with 2K orless” when the contents after accumulation are copied to externalequipment.

(4-4) A case where the pixel number conversion is executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080) to convert thecontents into contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less), and the pixel numberconversion is not executed for the accumulated contents with 2K or less(that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)when the contents are copied to external equipment after accumulation

In this case, target contents to be copied to external equipment arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), and are similar to the case of (4-3)described above. Therefore, the “protecting process for contents with 2Kor less” when the contents after accumulation are copied to externalequipment, which has been explained in (4-3), is executed.

(4-5) A case where the pixel number conversion is executed for thereceived contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080) to convert thecontents into contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less), and the pixel numberconversion is executed for the accumulated contents with 2K or less(that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)when the contents are copied to external equipment after accumulation toconvert the contents into other contents with 2K or less (that is,contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)

In this case, target contents to be copied to external equipment arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), and are similar to the case of (4-3)described above. Therefore, the “protecting process for contents with 2Kor less” when the contents after accumulation are copied to externalequipment, which has been explained in (4-3), is executed.

(4-6) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that is 1920×1080 or less), the pixel number conversion isexecuted for the accumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) or the receivedcontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less) to convert the contents into other contentswith 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is1920×1080 or less), and the pixel number conversion is not executed forthe accumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) when the contents afteraccumulation are copied to external equipment

In this case, target contents to be copied to external equipment arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), and are similar to the case of (4-3)described above. Therefore, the “protecting process for contents with 2Kor less” when the contents after accumulation are copied to externalequipment, which has been explained in (4-3), is executed.

(4-7) A case where the pixel number conversion is not executed for thereceived contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that is 1920×1080 or less), the pixel number conversion isexecuted for the accumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) or the receivedcontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less) to convert the contents into other contentswith 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is1920×1080 or less), and the pixel number conversion is executed for theaccumulated contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the numberof pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) when the contents afteraccumulation are copied to external equipment to convert the contentsinto other contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the numberof pixels that is 1920×1080 or less)

In this case, target contents to be copied to external equipment arecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), and are the similar to the case of (4-3)described above. Therefore, the “protecting process for contents with 2Kor less” when the contents after accumulation are copied to externalequipment, which has been explained in (4-3), is executed.

As explained in (4-1) to (4-7) described above, at the time when thecontents are copied to external equipment after accumulation, thecontent protecting processes are switched in accordance with the numberof pixels of the contents when the contents after accumulation arecopied to external equipment. In a case where contents with over 2K(that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the number ofpixels of 1920×1080), which are subjected to copy limitation, are copiedto external equipment in such a state, higher-level content protectionis applied to the contents and the contents are copied compared with acase where contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the numberof pixels that is 1920×1080 or less), which are subjected to copylimitation, are copied to external equipment in such a state. This makesit possible to protect contents with over 2K (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080), whichhave a higher added value, even in external equipment appropriately.

With respect to a case where the accumulated contents are copied toexternal equipment as “copiable for restricted number” within therestricted number of nine as described above, even in a case where anyof the “protecting process for contents with over 2K” when the contentsafter accumulation are copied to external equipment and the “protectingprocess for contents with 2K or less” when the contents afteraccumulation are copied to external equipment, which have been explainedin (4-1) to (4-7) described above, is utilized, one is equally decreasedfrom the number of remaining copiable contents. There is no need to seta difference in management of the number of copiable contents itself onthe basis of a difference between the content protecting processes atthe time of copy.

Note that the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the thirdembodiment may be configured to respectively prohibit output, movement,and copy of external equipment that is compliant with the contentprotection function that has been explained for each condition in theoutputting process to the exterior, the moving process to the exterior,and the copying process to the exterior, which have been explainedabove.

In a case where the “digital_recording_control_data” information and the“encryption_mode” information, which are intended for protection of thesame received contents are transmitted via a broadcast transmission pathwith a plurality of different tables or descriptors, or in a case wherethey are transmitted via both the broadcast transmission path and acommunication line with the same or different table or descriptor,information with the highest priority may be used for the contentprotecting process that has been explained in the present embodiment byusing a predetermined priority determining process based on a type oftable, a type of descriptor, or a type of transmission route.

Further, the HDCP described above, which is a content protection systemused for the outputting process of the contents before accumulation toexternal equipment and the outputting process of the contents afteraccumulation to external equipment, is a content protection system thatprotects contents such as decoded video. The DTCP, DTCP-IP, or DTCP2,which is used for processing such as movement or copy of the contentsafter accumulation to external equipment, is a content protection systemthat protects contents such as encoded video. The types of the contentsas a protection target are different. Nevertheless, a threshold valuewhen the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 according to the thirdembodiment switches the content protecting processes in accordance withthe number of pixels of the contents is set to be equal for a boundarybetween the contents with over 2K (that is, contents with the number ofpixels that exceeds the number of pixels of 1920×1080) and the contentswith 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is1920×1080 or less). Thus, by equalizing the switching threshold valuewhen to switch the content protecting processes in accordance with thenumber of pixels even in the content protection system in which thetypes of contents as the protection target are different, it is possibleto avoid types of conditional branches to switch the content protectingprocesses from being increased as much as possible, and this makes itpossible to simplify the processing. Therefore, this is effective.

According to the third embodiment of the present invention describedabove, it is possible to switch the content protecting processes inaccordance with the number of pixels of the contents even in any case ofthe outputting process of the contents after accumulation to externalequipment, the moving process of the contents to external equipment, orthe copying process of the contents to external equipment in addition tothe outputting process of the contents before accumulation to externalequipment. This makes it possible to protect contents with the highnumber of pixels, which have a higher added value, even in externalequipment appropriately. Further, by executing the common contentprotection during accumulation of the contents regardless of the numberof pixels of the contents, it is possible to simplify the processing.Namely, in a case of the outputting process, the moving process, or thecopying process to various kinds of external equipment respectivelyhaving various content protection levels, the content protectingprocesses are switched in accordance with the number of pixels of thecontents. This makes it possible to simplify the processing by executingthe common content protection for accumulation of contents that cannotbe reproduced only by the equipment itself regardless of the number ofpixels of the contents.

Fourth Embodiment

Hereinafter, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed. The fourth embodiment of the present invention includes thesimilar hardware configuration to that of the broadcast receivingapparatus 800 according to the second embodiment. Configuration,processes, effects and the like of the present embodiment are thesimilar to those of the second embodiment except for a contentprotecting process. For this reason, in the following description,differences between the present embodiment and the second embodimentwill be mainly described, and description of the matters common to bothembodiments will be omitted as much as possible in order to avoidredundant description.

A broadcast receiving apparatus 800 according to the fourth embodimentof the present invention has a similar hardware configuration to that ofthe broadcast receiving apparatus 800 according to the secondembodiment, and executes a control to realize a different copyrightprotecting function. Note that in the present embodiment, a contentprotection control for video of contents will be described. A similarcontrol to one that will be explained below may be carried out foraudio, or a different content protection control may be carried out foraudio.

FIG. 29 is a view in which processes for a copyright protecting functionin the broadcast receiving apparatus 800 according to the thirdembodiment are arranged. The broadcast receiving apparatus 800 accordingto the fourth embodiment switches copyright protecting processes forcontents before or after a content accumulating process depending uponwhether received contents are contents with over 2K (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that exceeds 1920×1080), such as contents with4K (the number of pixels: 3840×2160) or contents with 8K (the number ofpixels: 7680×4320), or contents with 2K or less (that is, contents withthe number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less).

In FIG. 29, a content protecting process shown in each of rows whosetransmission method is MMT is a content protecting process that isapplied to contents for which a receiving process is executed by the MMTdecode processing unit 841 of the broadcast receiving apparatus 800shown in FIG. 24. The content thereof is the same as the contentprotecting process of FIG. 28 that has been explained in the thirdembodiment, and thus, its explanation will be omitted.

On the other hand, in FIG. 29, a content protecting process shown in arow whose transmission method is MPEG2-TS is a content protectingprocess that is applied to contents for which a receiving process isexecuted by the MPEG2-TS decode processing unit 842 of the broadcastreceiving apparatus 800 shown in FIG. 24.

Contents that the broadcast receiving apparatus 800 according to thefourth embodiment of the present invention receives in an MPEG2-TStransmission method are contents with 2K or less (that is, contents withthe number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) in any case.

Since the contents received in the MPEG2-TS transmission method are thecontents with 2K or less (that is, contents with the number of pixelsthat is 1920×1080 or less), the broadcast receiving apparatus 800according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention commonalizesthe process between the contents with 2K or less (that is, contents withthe number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) received in the MPEG2-TStransmission method and the contents with 2K or less (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) received in an MMTtransmission method. Specifically, in either case, the contentprotecting process for the contents with 2K or less (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) received in the MMTtransmission method that has been explained in the third embodiment maybe executed.

Here, a format of the table by which control information used forcontent protection is transmitted is different between the MMTtransmission method and the MPEG2-TS transmission method. Specifically,in the MMT transmission method, a contents copy control descriptor and acontents usage control descriptor are mainly transmitted by an MPT (orMH-EIT, MH-SDT), for example. On the other hand, in the MPEG2-TStransmission method, a digital copy control descriptor and a contentsusage descriptor, which are corresponding to copy control relatedinformation, are mainly transmitted by a PMT (program map table) (orEIT, SDT), for example. Therefore, the formats of the table and thedescriptor by which the copy control related information is transmittedare different.

However, the same format for a “digital_recording_control_data”parameter and a “copy_restriction_mode” parameter stored in thedescriptor can further be used between the MMT transmission method andthe MPEG2-TS transmission method. Therefore, the broadcast receivingapparatus 800 according to the fourth embodiment of the presentinvention communalizes interpretation of the“digital_recording_control_data” parameter and the“copy_restriction_mode” parameter to specify protection of the contentsbetween the MMT transmission method and the MPEG2-TS transmissionmethod.

This makes it possible to communalize the external outputting process ofcontents before accumulation, the content accumulating process, theexternal outputting process of the contents after accumulation, themoving process of contents after accumulation to external equipment, andthe copying process of the contents after accumulation to externalequipment between the case of the contents with 2K or less (that is,contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) receivedin the MPEG2-TS transmission method and the case of the contents with 2Kor less (that is, contents with the number of pixels that is 1920×1080or less) received in the MMT transmission method. This makes it possibleto simplify the processes. As each concrete processing, the contentprotecting process for the contents with 2K or less (that is, contentswith the number of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) received in the MMTtransmission method that has been explained in the third embodiment isexecuted. Since the content has already been explained in the thirdembodiment, explanation thereof will be omitted.

Moreover, by communalizing the processes, the content protecting processin the case of the contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) received in the MPEG2-TStransmission method can commonalize the content protecting process inthe case of the contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) for the contents with over2K (that is, contents with the number of pixels that exceeds the numberof pixels of 1920×1080) received in the MMT transmission method beforeaccumulation thereof or after accumulation thereof by means of the pixelnumber converting process in addition to the content protecting processin the case of the contents with 2K or less (that is, contents with thenumber of pixels that is 1920×1080 or less) received in the MMTtransmission method. Therefore, an effect to simplify the processingbecomes very high.

According to the fourth embodiment of the present invention describedabove, it is possible to obtain the similar effects to those accordingto the third embodiment with respect to the contents received in the MMTtransmission method. Further, with respect to the contents with thepredetermined number of pixels or less, it is possible to commonalizethe content protecting process between the contents received in the MMTtransmission method and the contents received in the MPEG2-TStransmission method not only for the outputting process of the contentsbefore accumulation to external equipment, but also for any case of theoutputting process of the contents after accumulation to externalequipment, the moving process to external equipment, or the copyingprocess to external equipment. Therefore, it becomes possible tosimplify the process beyond the transmission method.

As described above, the examples of the embodiments according to thepresent invention have been explained using the first to fourthembodiments. However, the configurations for achieving the technique ofthe present invention are not limited to those embodiments, and may bemodified in various ways. For example, some constituent elements of anembodiment may be replaced with those of another embodiment, and aconstituent element of an embodiment may be added to a constituentelement of another embodiment. These modifications are all within thescope of the present invention. In addition, numerical values, messages,and others in the specification and drawings are described by way ofexample, and the effects of the present invention are not impaired evenwhen values, messages, and others different from those are used.

A part or all of the functions and the like of the present inventiondescribed above may be achieved by means of hardware, for example, bydesigning such functions with integrated circuits. Alternatively, it maybe achieved by means of software by causing a microprocessor unit or thelike to interpret and execute operating programs for achievingrespective functions. It is also possible to use hardware and softwarein combination.

Note that the software that controls the broadcast receiving apparatus100 may be stored in advance in the ROM 103 and/or the storage(accumulation) unit 110 of the broadcast receiving apparatus 100 at thetime of product shipment. The software may be acquired from the otherapplication server 500 or the like on the Internet 200 through the LANcommunication unit 121 after the product shipment. Alternatively, thesoftware stored in a memory card, optical disc, or the like may beacquired through the extension interface unit 124.

Further, control lines and data lines considered to be necessary for thedescription are shown in the drawings, and all the control lines anddata lines included in the product are not always shown in the drawings.Actually, it is presumable that almost all constituent elements areconnected with each other.

REFERENCE SINGS LIST

100, 800 . . . broadcast receiving apparatus, 100 a . . . antenna, 101,801 . . . main control unit, 102, 802 . . . system bus, 103, 803 . . .ROM, 104, 804 . . . RAM, 110, 810 . . . storage unit, 121, 821 . . . LANcommunication unit, 124, 824 . . . extension interface unit, 125, 825 .. . digital interface unit, 131, 831, 832 . . . tuner/demodulating unit,132 . . . separating unit, 141 . . . video decoder, 142 . . . videocolor gamut conversion unit, 143 . . . audio decoder, 144 . . . captiondecoder, 145 . . . subtitle decoder, 146 . . . subtitle synthesizingunit, 147 . . . subtitle color gamut conversion unit, 151 . . . datadecoder, 152 . . . cache unit, 153 . . . application control unit, 154 .. . browser unit, 155 . . . application color gamut conversion unit, 156. . . sound source unit, 161, 861 . . . video synthesizing unit, 162,862 . . . monitor unit, 163, 863 . . . video output unit, 164, 864 . . .audio synthesizing unit, 165, 865 . . . speaker unit, 166, 866 . . .audio output unit, 170, 870 . . . operation input unit, 841 . . . MMTdecode processing unit, 842 . . . MPEG2-TS decode processing unit, 200 .. . Internet, 200 r . . . router device, 200 a . . . access point, 300 t. . . radio tower, 300 s . . . broadcast satellite (or communicationsatellite), 300 . . . broadcast station server, 400 . . . serviceprovider server, 500 . . . other application server, 600 . . . mobilephone communication server, 600 b . . . base station, 700 . . . portableinformation terminal.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A broadcast receiving apparatus comprising:a first broadcast receiver configured to receive control informationregarding contents of digital broadcasting and content protection forthe contents, which are transmitted in a first transmission method; asecond broadcast receiver configured to receive control informationregarding contents of digital broadcasting and content protection forthe contents, which are transmitted in a second transmission method, thesecond transmission method being different from the first transmissionmethod; a storage configured to store the contents received by the firstbroadcast receiver or the second broadcast receiver; a first videooutput interface configured to output, to external equipment, video ofthe contents received by the first broadcast receiver or the secondbroadcast receiver, or video of the contents stored by the storage; anda second video output interface configured to output, to externalequipment, video of the contents received by the first broadcastreceiver or the second broadcast receiver, or video of the contentsstored by the storage, the second video output interface being adifferent type of interface from the first video output interface; and acontroller, wherein a first type of content protection is applicable forthe first video output interface, wherein at least two levels of contentprotection in the first type of content protection are applicable forthe first video output interface, wherein a second type of contentprotection is applicable for the second video output interface, thesecond type of content protection being different from the first type ofcontent protection, wherein at least two levels of content protection inthe second type of content protection are applicable for the secondvideo output interface, wherein control states of the storage, the firstvideo output interface, and the second video output interface by thecontroller include: a first video outputting process state in which thestorage does not store the contents and the contents are outputted fromthe first video output interface or the second video output interface tothe external equipment; a storing process state in which the storaqestores the contents; and a second video outputting process state inwhich the contents are outputted from the first video output interfaceor the second video output interface to the external equipment after astoring process for the contents by the storage, wherein the controlleris configured to execute switching of the levels of the contentprotecting processes for both the first video output interface and thesecond video output interface in accordance with a number of pixels ofthe video of the contents received by the first broadcast receiver inthe first video outputting process state, wherein the controller isconfigured to execute switching of the levels of the content protectingprocesses for both the first video output interface and the second videooutput interface in accordance with the number of pixels of the video ofthe contents even in the second video outputting process state, whereinthe number of pixels of a threshold value to execute the switching ofthe levels of the content protecting processes is equal between thefirst video outputting process state and the second video outputtingprocess state, and wherein the protecting process in the first videooutputting process state and the second video outputting process statefor the contents with a number of pixels that is equal to or less thanthe number of pixels of the threshold value in the contents received bythe first broadcast receiver is common to the protecting process in thefirst video outputting process state and the second video outputtingprocess state for the contents received by the second broadcastreceiver, for each of the first video output interface and the secondvideo output interface.